Hello,
Would like inputs from the list on this!
Sameer.
----- Forwarded message from www@trolltech.com -----
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 21:36:11 +0100 From: www@trolltech.com Subject: Re: [Issue N34385] Trolltech's licensing policy To: "Sameer D. Sahasrabuddhe" sameerds@it.iitb.ac.in Cc: www@trolltech.com, cathrine@trolltech.com
On Saturday, 01. nov 2003 14:08 Sameer D. Sahasrabuddhe wrote:
Hello,
I was exploring the licensing options that Trolltech provides for the Qt library, when I came across this:
"Software developed with the Qt Free Editions may be freely copied and distributed, put on FTP sites and CD-ROMs, etc. This is entirely different from software developed with Qt Commercial Editions, which is governed by the laws protecting intellectual property."
The part "... governed by the laws protecting intellectual property." clearly shows the kind of confusion that people have about IP and the GPL. The FSF has reiterated time and again that the GPL does _not_ go against or out of IP laws, but instead stays within the framework, and uses copyright to ensure freedom of the software.
Is Trolltech actually trying to say that software that can be "freely copied and distributed, put on FTP sites and CD-ROMs, etc." is not governed by the laws protecting intellectual property?
No, this is not our intention. Obviously we have not succeded in communicating that. Thanks for pointing this out.
We were trying to convey the fact that software developed with Qt Commercial Editions does not depend on the GPL, so that our commercial customers have the option of not distributing their source with their binaries.
We'll try to come up with less ambiguous alternative wording. Your suggestions would be welcome.
PS: The URL for "press kit" on the "Contact Us" page is incorrect - it points to http://pip/newsroom/presskit.html
Thanks! Our webmaster has now fixed it.
Research Scholar, KReSIT, IIT Bombay http://www.it.iitb.ac.in/~sameerds/
You may know of this http://www.trolltech.com/products/qt/ academiclicense.html
Kind regards, Eivind Throndsen -- Product Manager, Professional Services and Partnering, Trolltech AS, Waldemar Thranes gate 98 B, NO-0175 OSLO +47 21 60 48 85 work, +47 928 00 534 mobile/cellphone
----- End forwarded message -----
On Thursday 06 November 2003 05:03, Sameer D. Sahasrabuddhe wrote:
Next LUG meet: 9 Nov 2003 around 4 pm - VJTI
Hello,
Would like inputs from the list on this!
"Software developed with the Qt Free Editions may be freely copied and distributed, put on FTP sites and CD-ROMs, etc. This is entirely different from software developed with Qt Commercial Editions, which is governed by the laws protecting intellectual property."
"Software developed with the Qt Free Editions may be freely copied and distributed, put on FTP sites and CD-ROMs, etc., as per the terms of the GPL, "which are a legal instrument that gives everyone the rights to use, modify, and redistribute the program's code or any program derived from it but only if the distribution terms are unchanged. Thus, the code and the freedoms become legally inseparable." (Refer http://www.gnu.org/licenses/licenses.html for further details). This is entirely different from software developed with Qt Commercial Editions, which does not require you to distribute the source code nor allows others to distribute your code and software without your explicit permission. Both versions are coverned by the laws protecting intellectual property, but under different terms".
Cant see where the complication is in getting it right. A simple cut and paste from the GNU website.
-
J. T. D'souza -
Sameer D. Sahasrabuddhe