Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 23:49:24 +1000 (EST) From: Darren Reed <darrenr@reed.wattle.id.au> To: darrenr@pobox.com Subject: IPFilter licence update Message-ID: <200106031349.XAA01100@avalon.reed.wattle.id.au>
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Distribution: ipfilter list, FreeBSD & NetBSD developers & current lists.
There is some amount of angst in the user community about what the IPFilter
licence means. This has prompted some rather rash discussions and actions.
Nevertheless, what I'd been led to think was bad (the old licence) isn't
necessarily so, so let me clarify.
The licence is intended to mean that people can use (which includes modify
or patch or tune, as seen fit) IPFilter as found within FreeBSD/NetBSD for
whatever purpose they desire - so long as the conditions (due credit and the
notice) are met. At this point I'm not that excited about making any changes
to the licence as that implies a deficency in the old one, one way or the
other with one way of reading it making a criminal out of too many people and
who wants to do that? I expect further releases will continue to contain the
same licence notice. I am working with the core team for each project to
ensure that this understanding is recognised by both parties at a more formal
level, protecting the investment in time and effort by all concerned. At the
very least it will involve a memorandum of understanding stating this being
signed by the parties involved.
If you're wondering why all of the "bad press" during the past week, then
you can but thank Theo from the OpenBSD project as making it an item of news
was one of his threats ("if you don't do as I say", essentially) which I had
no intention of responding to. If anything, his actions have but delayed me
in sending this email which was prepared, in part, early last week. As I've
said elsewhere, IPFilter will go where I wish it to, under my navigation.
This includes allowing it to be taken up by FreeBSD/NetBSD and used by others
under those platforms as they see fit.
Anyone who has emailed me in the last week with a question on the IPFilter
licence should read the above, re-evaluate where they're at end send me an
email if they have any further queries.
Darren
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