[ On Sunday, September 2, 2001 at 19:21:27 (-0700), Kevin Sindhu wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: Licensing questions for misc djb and djb-related packages
>
> > give the impression that non-binary NetBSD packages are fine?  
> 
> Yes and no...

NO, there's absolutely no "legal" problem here.

Indeed a non-binary package with no source mirror as well is perfectly
legal for *ANY* software package (except maybe in the grand old
not-so-free USA for software implementing patented or otherwise
restricted algorithms).

Whether or not DJB will condone or decry a NetBSD pkgsrc module for any
of his software is irrelevant.  He has no say about it, at least not
under copyright law.  He has even made his software freely available and
he has explicitly shown that he is aware of the degree of protection he
has under copyright law.

> Are you changing any style which as per DJB is unauthorized? I remember
> seeing an e-mail where DJB refused to help a FreeBSD'er as he'd
> installed the package from the FreeBSD ports. Here's an excerpt:

Who the heck cares?  Nobody's making any promises here and there is no
warranty explicit or otherwise for either DJB's software or for the
NetBSD pkgsrc system.  If you want support directly from DJB then you
might want to do things his way, but otherwise "It just Doesn't
Matter(tm :-)".

> I'd check thread above before concluding...;-).Anyway, my intention in
> this case is entirely to stop this from happening again some time down the
> road in NetBSD packages...

Stop what from happening?  Stop DJB from complaining?  You might as well
hope to stop the moon from causing tides!  Who cares?

If the NetBSD pkgsrc maintainers would like to cater to making it easier
for NetBSD users of, say the qmail package, then they can endeavour to
do the "port" in a style that they can hope DJB will approve of.
Otherwise they can do it in a more "NetBSD" way or whatever.  Either way
a user will have to make up their own mind about how they'll install and
use the likes of qmail.

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

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