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Neil Williams wrote: > On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:30:19 +0100 > Rob Beard <rob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> It looks like anything from Samba 3.2.x onwards will be under GPL3. > > This also means that all packages linking against Samba libraries will > need to move to GPL3. GPL3 applications can use GPL2 libraries but GPL2 > applications cannot use GPL3 libraries. > >> With Samba now being a pretty big part of linking Linux machines to >> Windows and vice versa, does this mean it's going to leave distros >> such as Novell SUSE out in the cold, or would they have to fork the >> Samba code from 3.0.x and maintain their own version of Samba? > > A fork is always possible but the fork would have to be under the GPLv2 > (probably without the "or later" phrase) so the changes have to be > public and can be reimplemented under GPL3. > Reimplemented meaning not using same code? Like a clean room reverse engineer so to speak, or would they just have to implement the feature (assuming it isn't covered by any M$ patents)? >> Presumably Novell can't use anything licenced under GPL v3 for future >> distro releases because of their link with Microsoft? (or am I >> completely wrong here?). > > The Microvell agreement is legal under GPLv2 and a clause in GPLv3 > blocks all future agreements of this kind but it is dated so that only > agreements made AFTER Microvell are prohibited. It is difficult to make > such rulings retrospective - it invites a legal challenge because it > is usually seen as unfair. No matter what anyone thinks about MS and > Novell behaviour, the decisions of the free software community must be > fair and seen to be fair. > > However, any change to the Microvell agreement, any extension, any > backtracking, would be prohibited if it involved GPLv3 software. The > deal is frozen. > Ahh I see. So I guess M$ and Novell are trying to be very careful not to slip up then. Rob -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html