Re: [CORE] GPL Source and Copyright Questions - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

[ redirecting to -hackers, as I see no need for this to be a core issue ]

Charles Comiskey <comiskey@us.ibm.com> writes:
> Hello,
> I've recently looked through the PostgreSQL code and a couple of questions 
> surfaced.  I was hoping someone here may be able to answer them.  Two have 
> links to possible GPL sources and the third is just a contribution 
> question. 

> item #1: Does the geo_ops.c file contain GPL code?
> Embedded within the geo_ops.c file is a John Franks copyright statement 
> referring to wn/image.c file from WN Server 1.15.1.  WN Server appears to 
> have been under the GPL license since 0.94 and continues to be offered 
> under the GPL license today.  John's letter to Linux Journal seems to only 
> point the user to his WN Server distribution vs granting any specific 
> license.

> Questions:
> 1) Is any John Franks code really in this file?
> 2) Did John provide a separate license for PostgreSQL to license it under 
> the BSD license?

This code seems to have been inserted by Tom Lockhart on 1997-07-29
(geo_ops.c rev 1.13).  Tom, any info on the copyright status?

> References:
> - 1994 e-mail with GPL reference to WN Server v0.94: 
> http://1997.webhistory.org/www.lists/www-talk.1994q4/1080.html
> - 1995 e-mail from John with GPL license text reference: 
> http://1997.webhistory.org/www.lists/www-talk.1995q1/0482.html
> - WN Server url today: http://hopf.math.northwestern.edu/
> - Link to Linux Journal article: http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/2197


> item #2: Is dllinit.c GPL code?
> The file dllinit.c, located in the src/utils directory documents the 
> author as Mumit Khan.  Did Mumit Khan contribute this code and did he 
> contribute it for distribution under the PostgreSQL license?  If I read 
> correctly, the name stamp in CVS does not indicate that Mumit Khan 
> directly contributed this file.  I ask because this question has surfaced 
> as a forum item for a different project and Mumit Khan directly answered 
> their forum posting (http://curl.haxx.se/mail/lib-2002-11/0061.html).

Per the comments in that thread, it would be pretty trivial to either
rewrite or remove this file.  I don't think there is anything there that
amounts to protectable content (and Mumit evidently agrees, see link)
but let's do something about it anyway.  Can some of the Windows folk
check whether we can just remove it?


> item #3: Carsten Wolff copyright in informix.c file
> The file informix.c contains a copyright from Carsten Wolff.  Did Carsten 
> directly contribute this file to the PostgreSQL project?

This code was added by Michael Meskes in informix.c rev 1.6
(2003-05-06).  Michael, any info on the exact copyright status?

> Thank you,
> Charles Comiskey
> Tivoli Software
> IBM Software Group
> comiskey@us.ibm.com
> 919.224.1223 or TL 687-1223
        regards, tom lane