Hello everyone!
Right now I am moving some code from OsmoBTS to libosmocore, exactly OsmoBTS/src/osmo-bts-trx/gsm0503*. And there is a licensing conflict, because this code licensed under AGPLv3+, but libosmocore code is GPLv2+.
So, this is why I am contacting all authors/copyright holders. The question is: does everyone agree to re-license the code under GPLv2-or-later and move it code to libosmocore?
Thanks in advance!
With best regards, Vadim Yanitskiy.
To add some more context for those not following the discussion on gerrit:
There are other projects like OsmocomBB or gprsdecode which would benefit from using one shared implementation of all the related gsm 05.03 code. It would be great if we could eliminate various (partially incomplete) implementations of the same functionality and move that into a shared library.
The idea so far was to move it into libosmocore.git, but that (as Vadim points out) is not possible unless we'd want to force every application to be AGPLv3-or-later. So far our policy has been that libosmocore.git code (libosmogsm/libosmocore/libosmovty) is GPLv2-or-later.
If we cannot reach agreement on this question, it might be worth considering a new AGPLv3+ library for the code, independent of libosmogsm. So "normal" libosmocore-using applications can be GPLv2-or-later, while only those specifically needing the gsm0503 code would have to link in this new AGPLv3+ library. I'm not sure if it would be that bad.
Some general backgorund on the original motivations on the use of GPL vs. AGPL in the Osmocom GSM related projects:
From my point of view, AGPL makes sense in contexts where the code is
likely used by a mobile operator. We want to prevent such an operator from heavily improving our code without having to release the results back to the community. As a GSM operator does not distribute (in a copyright sense) the actual (e.g. BTS/BSC) code, GPL wouldn't be strong enough here.
For projects like OsmocomBB or gprsdecode, the normal use case is to be used by an end-user. So if anybody was to put a modified version into production, it would involve the distribution of the related software to the end-user (e.g. in a phone firmware), and that would be distribution in terms of copyright => GPL is sufficient.
Regards, Harald
Harald,
Thanks for the context and background information.
On Sat, Sep 10, 2016 at 10:09 PM, Vadim Yanitskiy axilirator@gmail.com wrote:
Right now I am moving some code from OsmoBTS to libosmocore, exactly OsmoBTS/src/osmo-bts-trx/gsm0503*. And there is a licensing conflict, because this code licensed under AGPLv3+, but libosmocore code is GPLv2+.
So, this is why I am contacting all authors/copyright holders. The question is: does everyone agree to re-license the code under GPLv2-or-later and move it code to libosmocore?
I agree with the current consensus to re-license GSM 05.03 code from AGPLv3 to GPLv2+ for inclusion into libosmocore.
-TT
Harald, the background information is very helpful.
I'm ok with re-licensing to GPLv2.
Please excuse typos. Written with a touchscreen keyboard.
-- Regards, Alexander Chemeris CEO Fairwaves, Inc. https://fairwaves.co
On Sep 13, 2016 4:54 PM, "Tom Tsou" tom.tsou@ettus.com wrote:
Harald,
Thanks for the context and background information.
On Sat, Sep 10, 2016 at 10:09 PM, Vadim Yanitskiy axilirator@gmail.com wrote:
Right now I am moving some code from OsmoBTS to libosmocore, exactly OsmoBTS/src/osmo-bts-trx/gsm0503*. And there is a licensing conflict, because this code licensed under AGPLv3+, but libosmocore code is GPLv2+.
So, this is why I am contacting all authors/copyright holders. The question is: does everyone agree to re-license the code under GPLv2-or-later and move it code to libosmocore?
I agree with the current consensus to re-license GSM 05.03 code from AGPLv3 to GPLv2+ for inclusion into libosmocore.
-TT
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Alexander Chemeris -
Harald Welte -
Tom Tsou -
Vadim Yanitskiy