Re: Elks Distribution

Nicholas Knight
2002-05-26T13:30:14Z

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stefan de Konink" <skinkie@kinkrsoftware.xs4all.nl>
To: "Neil Holmes" <neil.holmes@zoom.co.uk>
Cc: "Linux 8086" <linux-8086@vger.kernel.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2002 4:22 PM
Subject: Re: Elks Distribution

> I think we have to make a notice:

<snip BSD-ish license>

(IANAL)

As far as I can tell, the current MINIX license (the one you just posted) is
essentialy identicle in every respect but precise wording to what is now
known genericaly as the "New", "Modified", or "Revised" BSD License.
Essentialy it just removes clause #3 (the Advertising Clause). A good
example is the X11 license:
http://www.x.org/terms.htm

This license is fully compatible with the GPL (and pretty much every other
software license ever used...). Meaning you can use the code with GPL'd code
with no problems. The GPL has the same restrictions as this license, in that
it, too, requires the copyright notices to remain intact.

If you'd like in-practice examples, check any of a large number of peices of
GPL'd software. I believe the Linux kernel itself includes code licensed
under the revised BSD license.

In short: You can use any code from MINIX as much as you want. Just keep the
copyright notices intact (and possibly add them, if neccisary), just as the
GPL requires. This is pretty much the entire point of BSD-ish licenses, do
whatever the heck you want with the code as long as credit is given where
due.

GNU's license list:
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html
You'll find X11 and modified BSD license, as well as the Expat (sometimes
called "MIT") License, listed under "GPL-Compatible, Free Software
Licenses".

The original BSD License is viewable here:
http://www.freebsd.org/copyright/license.html

As you can see, it includes clause #3, this is incompatible with the GPL
because the GPL does not include that restriction, and the GPL forbids
additional restrictions. The MINIX license does not have this clause.