Subject: [Fenics] Copyright consent forms

From: Anders Logg <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 22:03:15 +0100

I've prepared drafts of the copyright consent forms:

http://www.fenicsproject.org/pub/copyright/forms/

Take a look and let the list know if you have any comments.
If we find that the documents look ok, we can start sending out
requests for signed consent forms.

--
Anders

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From: "Marie E. Rognes" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 23:24:26 +0100

> Take a look and let the list know if you have any comments.

What does "at each distributor's option"  mean/imply? 

--
Marie

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From: Anders Logg <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 23:29:40 +0100

> What does "at each distributor's option"  mean/imply?

That anyone in the distribution chain (including ourselves) can elect
to change the license to say LGPL v4 when it becomes available.

In particular, anyone (including ourselves) can choose to change the
header in all files to say v4 or any later version. When v4 comes it
is likely we will do this (if we think v4 has advantages over v3).

--
Anders

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From: Anders Logg <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 23:31:02 +0100

> What does "at each distributor's option"  mean/imply?

The text is in large parts copied from here:

http://amcg-www.ese.ic.ac.uk/index.php?title=Local:Copyright_Clearance_Procedures

--
Anders

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From: "Marie E. Rognes" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 23:41:40 +0100

> http://amcg-www.ese.ic.ac.uk/index.php?title=Local:Copyright_Clearance_Procedures

Ok, thanks. 

--
Marie

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From: Anders Logg <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:37:46 +0100

> requests for signed consent forms.

I haven't heard any objections to the design of the consent forms so I
assume everyone's onboard. I will start sending out requests for forms
shortly.

--
Anders

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From: Harish Narayanan <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:47:12 +0100

> assume everyone's onboard. I will start sending out requests for forms

The documents seem reasonable, except that I have one concern over the
(broad) scope. What if a contributor is OK with LGPL for some FEniCS
components, but doesn't see the purpose (or is not happy with, for
whatever reason) for other components.

I understand the rationale behind LGPL for core components (DOFIN, FFC
etc.) but not, for e.g., FEniCS Apps.

Harish

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From: Harish Narayanan <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:06:22 +0100

> etc.) but not, for e.g., FEniCS Apps.

I am going to further my query. Probably convoluted, but here it goes:

What constitutes a FEniCS app? Is it any application written based on
components of the FEniCS project? Is it an application that gets listed
on the FEniCS web site? And if one is going to force the license of the
app, does that not defeat the purpose of LGPL'ing core FEniCS components[1]?

Harish

[1] Which I am guessing would be to allow for proprietary apps to be
written using an LGPL FEniCS.

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From: "Garth N. Wells" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:10:40 +0000

> app, does that not defeat the purpose of LGPL'ing core FEniCS components[1]?

My take is that an App gets to hang itself under the 'FEniCS App'
banner, and a qualifying requirement for that is a GPL/LGPL license. If
it's proprietary, it can't be a FEniCS App.

Garth

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From: Harish Narayanan <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:18:17 +0100

> it's proprietary, it can't be a FEniCS App.

OK, that makes sense to me.

Harish

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From: Anders Logg <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:44:59 +0100

> > it's proprietary, it can't be a FEniCS App.

Exactly. (But it has to be LGPL, not GPL.)

Everyone is free to make proprietary solvers on top of the
LGPL-licensed software, but not as FEniCS Apps.

--
Anders