On Wed 8 Jul 2009 11:51, Wolfgang Denk pondered:
But we could prepend the typical header which brings us to something
like this:
You could do it, but you are eventually not permitted to do it legally.
The fact that you "must include the IBM copyright notice, this paragraph, and the preceding two paragraphs in the transferred software" may or may not be compatible with GPL - IANAL...
GPLv2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.txt) states:
- [snip] You may not impose any further restrictions on the recipients'
exercise of the rights granted herein. [snip]
I think that is pretty clear. The IBM notice is not GPL2 compatible - since it places additional restrictions on the end user.
In fact, in looking closer - the patent license are completely incompatible...
IBM:
- No license under IBM patents or
- patent applications is to be implied by the copyright license.
GPLv2:
if a patent license would not permit royalty-free redistribution of the Program by all those who receive copies directly or indirectly through you, then the only way you could satisfy both it and this License would be to refrain entirely from distribution of the Program.
However - your milage may vary - I'm not a lawyer - Anyone who looks to technical mailing lists for licensing compatibility questions is going to get bad advice. This may be one of those times...
-Robin