[ogb-discuss] License clarification?

[John Plocher]

[This is probably not an OGB topic any more.  Please respond only to the
trademark-policy-dev at os.o alias]

S h i v wrote:
> Sorry for the delayed response,
> To be specific, my request is to clarify the term "OpenSolaris" in the

> "   ....Sun grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited
> license without fees to
>    (a) reproduce and use internally the Software for the purposes of
> developing or running an **OpenSolaris distribution**."
> (Full text here :
> http://opensolaris.org/os/licensing/opensolaris_binary_license)


IANAL.  But...

(Why is it that these two things get stuck together so often :-)

As in all things related to this topic, if it matters to you, please
seek legal advice from someone who is qualified to give it to you,
and don't rely on anything that I might say.  What follows is my
opinion, which being free, is worth less than what you paid for it :-)

I believe the OBL text above simply means that you can use the closed bins
(or whatever is covered by the OBL) to make an OpenSolaris distribution.
That is, I think it is simply trying to say you can't chop those bits
out of the opensolaris wad  abd use them to make a Linux or *BSD
distribution, nor can you use them to make applications, middleware, ...

I also don't believe the OBL and the Trademark/Branding uses of the
word "opensolaris" are in complete alignment, but my unbelief here is
more out of ignorance than understanding...


   -John