PostgreSQL & the BSD License - Mailing list pgsql-general

Hi ...

PostgreSQL, 4 years ago, became a Proudly Canadian Open Source Project,
with developers around the world (16 out of ~21 contributing developers
being non-US citizens).  Over those 4 years, we've had various people pop
up suggesting "we should be under a GPL license", to which the almost
instantaneous reply being "over our combined dead bodies".

Everyone has their own opinions about both the GPL and the BSD licenses,
with the religious arguments between the two being as "interesting" as
those between Linux and FreeBSD ...

We all have our preferences, and we can argue those until we are blue in
the face, but that would make little differences.  PostgreSQL falls under
the BSD license, and that will not change ... it is the license that
Berkeley imposed on Postgres from day one, it is the license that Jolly
and Andrew handed the code over to us under, and it is the one that
PostgreSQL itself will impose until "the end of time".

Recently, Landmark/Great Bridge sent us a proposed revision to our
existing license that, from what I can tell, has two paragraphs that
pretty instantly none of the non-US developers felt comfortable with ...
and that I, personally, could never agree to.

I've read, and re-read, this license since the first time I saw it ... I
like the extension of the 'liability/warranty' sections to encompass "all
developers" vs it just encompassing "University of Berkeley", and am
shocked that we never thought of this before, as well as pleased that our
new community members (L/GB) took the time to contribute this ...

Included below is what I would like to replace our current COPYRIGHT file
with, unless any of the developers have any serious concerns about it
and/or I've mis-read something in it that "loses" the BSD License appeal
to it.  I do not believe that *extending* the license reduces/blemishes
the BSD openness of the license ... maybe I'm wrong ...

IMHO, the current COPYRIGHT we have is/was only good until 1996, when we
took over the code ... what is included doesn't change the terms or
meaning of the COPYRIGHT, it only extends it to cover those developing the
code from '96 on ...

I wish to publicly thank Landmark/Great Bridge for providing the basis for
these changes, as their contribution has provided us with a direction to
focus on, instead of the usual "we need to change the license" that
happens bi-yearly, and then dies off with no change ...

I would like to plug this in early next week, unless someone can see
something major that makes them feel uncomfortable ...

Marc G. Fournier                   ICQ#7615664               IRC Nick: Scrappy
Systems Administrator @ hub.org
primary: scrappy@hub.org           secondary: scrappy@{freebsd|postgresql}.org


===========================================================================


PostgreSQL Data Base Management System (formerly known as Postgres95)

This directory contains the _______ release of PostgreSQL, as well as
various post-release patches in the patches directory.  See INSTALL for
the installation notes and HISTORY for the changes.

We also have a WWW home page located at: http://www.postgreSQL.org

-------------------------

PostgreSQL is not public domain software.  It is copyrighted by the
University of California but may be used according to the following
licensing terms:

POSTGRES95 Data Base Management System (formerly known as Postgres, then
as Postgres95).

Copyright (c) 1994-6 Regents of the University of California

Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its
documentation for any purpose, without fee, and without a written
agreement is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice and
this paragraph and the following two paragraphs appear in all copies.

IN NO EVENT SHALL THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BE LIABLE TO ANY PARTY FOR
DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING
LOST PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE AND ITS
DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF
THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE SOFTWARE PROVIDED HEREUNDER IS
ON AN "AS IS" BASIS, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS NO OBLIGATIONS
TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT, UPDATES, ENHANCEMENTS, OR MODIFICATIONS.

-------------------------

Copyright ( 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 by various contributors (as
identified in HISTORY) (collectively "Developers") which may be used
according to the following licensing terms:

Worldwide permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software
and its documentation for any purpose, without fee, and without a written
agreement is hereby granted, on a non-exclusive basis, provided that the
above copyright notice, this paragraph and the following paragraphs appear
in all copies:

IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY DEVELOPER BE LIABLE TO ANY PARTY FOR DIRECT,
INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING,
WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE
AND ITS DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF THE DEVELOPER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
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