Re: [boost] A possible addition to the boost license FAQ

From: Martin Wille (mw8329_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-08-07 02:57:53

Bjørn Roald wrote:
> Felipe Magno de Almeida wrote:
>> If you can dual-license with boost software license and a payed one
>> for a organization that may want to pay, then how couldnt you
>> dual-license on gpl and boost license?
>>   
> I think you can dual-license GPL with  _more_ restrictive licenses, Such 
> licensing simply adds the freedoms of the GPL (GNU world) to the 
> software.  See e.g.

If you are the copyright holder then you can license your stuff in any 
way you like. Nobody can restrict your rights as a copyright holder.

If you are free to user other software (Boost) in basically any way you 
like (BSL), then you're of course free to relicense it under a single or 
dual license and together with your additional code or not, even if the 
additional license imposes more restrictions on the user.

> http://www.trolltech.com/products/qt/licenses/licensing/licensingoverview
> 
> I don't think you can dual license GPL with _less_ restrictive licenses, 
> e.g. the Boost license.  Those licenses add too much freedom.  Freedom  
> to use and hide is not compatible with the GPL. That said, you can use 
> Boost Software Licensed software in a GPL project.  That is what the GPL 
> compatibility pages is about:
> 
> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/license-list.html#GPLCompatibleLicenses
> 
> These pages does not suggest that dual licensing is possible.  Just that 
> dependencies or even direct use of software licensed under Boost  
> Software License within a project licensed with GPL is possible without 
> breaking the GPL.  I.e. you should never see the two licenses together 
> on the same artifact (FSF view).
> 
> Boost Software License has no restriction affecting such dual licensing, 
> the issue is with the GPL copyleft restrictions.
> 
> Q:  Can I use software licensed with the Boost Software License in my 
> GPL licensed project?
> A: Yes,  see: 
> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/license-list.html#GPLCompatibleLicenses
> 
> Q: Can I dual-license my software under both the GPL and the Boost 
> Software License?
> A: The Boost Software License allow this, but not the GPL.  This is not 
> allowed due to the copyleft restrictions in the GPL.  See: 
> http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/#WhatIsCopyleft.  Specifically, the problem 
> is with the GPL requiring all modified and extended versions of the 
> program to be free as well.  The Boost Software License allow the 
> licensee to make non-free modified and extended versions of the program.

To my understanding, all this refers to publishing formerly GPLed code 
(Qt) under BSL. Since GPL tries to be quite restrictive you're not free 
to republish under BSL.

The OP's problem was the other way round, though.

IANAL-ly yours,
m
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