Re: [Qemu-devel] [PATCH 2/2] LICENSE: clarify

[Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com>]

> On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 1:19 AM, Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com> wrote:
> > 1) The GPL says that "if the Program does not specify a version number
> > of this License, you may choose any version ever published by the Free
> > Software Foundation".  This is not true, QEMU includes parts that are
> > v2-only.
> >
> > 2) Provide a default for files with no licensing information.
> >
> > 3) It is not just hardware emulation that is under BSD license.
> >
> > 4) Restrict GPLv2-only contributions to user mode emulation (due to
> > code from Linux) and PCI passthrough (due to code from Neocleus).
> 
> I am okay *discouraging* GPLv2 only contributions but if there's
> compelling code that cannot be relicensed, I would object strongly to
> rejecting it purely because it wasn't GPLv2+.

Yes, that's why I included "as of".  We can certainly broaden the
set of GPLv2-only features, but it would require discussions and another
patch to LICENSE.  If you believe "as of July 2013" is not enough, I can
send v2.

> > 5) The rules were initially set by Fabrice but are being amended by
> > other people (already in commit ee12e1f, LICENSE: There is no libqemu.a
> > anymore, 2011-11-15).  Do not put words in his mouth.
> 
> I think it's better at this point to just put QEMU team.  Fabrice is
> no longer associated with the project.

It still mentions the trademark, and one of the last times he was
contacted was exactly to enforce the BSDness of TCG, so I left it in.
As the most active committer, you can certainly submit a follow-up
patch to remove it; I didn't really feel qualified to do that.

Paolo