[indiana-discuss] License and redistribution of the OpenSolaris updates

[Laurent Blume]

Tim Cramer a écrit :
> So your assertions are correct.  If you add non-redistributable code to 
> OpenSolaris then it isn't redistributable, that doesn't mean it isn't 
> free, but would require more licenses or potentially other encumberences 
> (Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer)

IANAL, but it only means the non-redistributable parts are
non-redistributable. You can't pretend, for example, to restrict the
distributability of GPL-covered code, just by adding proprietary code on
the same CD or repository.
And that would just create some bad buzz on the blogs of some zealots,
so best avoid it at all.

[snip]
> A final example is that Sun will sell support for 2008.05.  Packages 
> with fixed escalations will be put into a special paid repository 
> available to holders of support licenses, and fixed in the next general 
> release of OpenSolaris (note: since the change will go into the main 
> codeline, anyone running the latest build would be able to also get the 
> fix, but would have to run that latest build to get it and would be on 
> an unsupported branch of the code).  

It's oversimplifying.
Let's say I have a contract, and Sun fixes a bug in GNOME (and I'm sure
GNOME will be supported), and send me the fix as an update.
Nothing will prevent me from redistributing the update to anybody else
running OpenSolaris 2008.05, because GNOME is FOSS, and Sun simply can't
turn it into a paid-license-only software.

> To answer the anonymous question I received which was to list those FOSS 
> packages that we support vs. those we don't and that we must support 
> some FOSS packages... you are correct and I was oversimplifying the 
> answer.   I don't have the list of those supported vs. those that 
> aren't.  Anything considered part of the core of OpenSolaris would be on 
> the supported list, and those things that aren't would be done via best 
> effort but wouldn't be officially supported.

AS others have pointed out, an actual list would be helpful. It wasn't
ever clearly detailed on Solaris either, though usually, it could be
considered that software in /usr/sfw would be supported and updated.

Laurent
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