OpenGrok

1.2   rin $NetBSD: README,v 1.2 2025/08/25 05:30:39 rin Exp $
1.1  reed
1.2   rin The code within the src/external/gpl3 directories may have serious
1.1  reed legal impacts if you are a company and redistributing or changing
1.1  reed this code (as a company holding patents). We recommend you contact
1.1  reed your lawyer before using it.
1.1  reed
1.1  reed Please do not import new GPLv3 projects without Board approval.
1.1  reed
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1.1  reed
1.1  reed Statement for The NetBSD Foundation's Position on the GPLv3
1.1  reed
1.1  reed NetBSD provides source code with the goal for anyone to be able
1.1  reed to use it for whatever they want, as long as they follow the simple
1.1  reed licensing terms. Historically, most of the original code used
1.1  reed Berkeley-style licensing and NetBSD's own code uses a simple
1.1  reed two-clause Berkeley-style license. To summarize: modifications are
1.1  reed allowed, the source code may be redistributed and the binaries (or
1.1  reed executables) may be distributed as long as the copyright and
1.1  reed disclaimer is included.  NetBSD's code may be extended and sold
1.1  reed without sharing back the source code changes.
1.1  reed
1.1  reed NetBSD also uses and redistributes source code and binaries from
1.1  reed source code obtained from external third parties. This source code
1.1  reed is segregated by placing it in the src/external and sys/src/external
1.1  reed directories which are categorized per license. Examples of this
1.1  reed include:  ISC BIND, Solaris ZFS, CVS, GNU Binutils, Postfix, X.org
1.1  reed X Windowing System, and other software that are primarily maintained
1.1  reed outside of NetBSD.
1.1  reed
1.1  reed In some cases, the third-party software is licensed under terms
1.1  reed that conflict with NetBSD's own goals. For example, the GPLv2 is
1.1  reed a "copyleft" license  -- it requires that anyone who distributes
1.1  reed executable or object code based on the source code, also make the
1.1  reed source code and modifications available to the public.  (NetBSD's
1.1  reed own code doesn't require companies to share their changes.)
1.1  reed
1.1  reed The GPLv3 (GNU General Public License Version 3) includes clauses
1.1  reed that may cause additional burdens to developers or companies who
1.1  reed may modify the source code or ship products based on the source
1.1  reed code. The following summarizes some of these issues:
1.1  reed
1.1  reed - The license allows the user to circumvent measures preventing
1.1  reed software changes (#3).  This is known as the Tivoization clause.
1.1  reed In addition, this same clause is an anti-DRM, anti-DMCA clause --
1.1  reed as the developer allows the end-user to attempt to circumvent or
1.1  reed break the technological protection measures. Also, any information
1.1  reed or authorization keys required to install or run modified versions
1.1  reed must also be provided (#6).
1.1  reed
1.1  reed - The patent clause (#11) says the copyright holders grant a
1.1  reed non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free patent license.  You may be
1.1  reed required to extend the royalty-free patent license(s) to all
1.1  reed recipients or future users and developers who use the code.  In
1.1  reed addition, you may not initiate litigation for a patent infringement
1.1  reed (#10).
1.1  reed
1.1  reed We recommend companies redistributing GPLv3 licensed code to
1.1  reed consult their lawyer before using it.
1.1  reed
1.1  reed It is the intent of the NetBSD project to use as little GPL licensed
1.1  reed software as possible to provide maximum freedom for development
1.1  reed and distribution of NetBSD derived products.
1.1  reed