Re: wip/foo2zjs: license concerns

["Martijn van Buul" <martijn.van.buul%gmail.com@localhost>]

On 17/10/2007, Greg Troxel <gdt%ir.bbn.com@localhost> wrote:
> So if I follow correctly:
>
>   the package itself really is GPL

Check.

>   when you run a script (by hand?), it fetches firmware files with
>   non-free licenses, and does so in a way that appears to violate
>   copyright law.  (this would be an interesting fair use case, maybe,
>   but I'm not going there in discussing LICENSE)

Correct.

> If running the script is automatic, or more or less necessary for some
> printers, then it seems this needs a LICENSE tag, if we follow the
> spirit of LICENSE=.

It depends on how you look at it. You don't need these encumbered
files to run the package itself. You don't need it if your printer is
connected to a Windows box, or connected through an appropriate
printer server.

However, you DO need them if that printer is connected to the local
machine - but then you'd also need them if all you wanted to do is
print plain text, and you'd also need them if you don't want these
foomatic filters. Without that firmware, those printers are
paperweights.

In that light, this whole firmware issue is not related to foo2zjs in
any way. It is merely a convenience offered by the author. (who, for
some strange reason, doesn't seem to mind redistributing firmwares he
has no right to redistribute, but despises people who *legally*
distribute *HIS* software...)

> I see two paths forward:
>
> 1) set LICENSE=generic-nonlicense, and put in a comment explaining that
> source is gpl2 and that a script fetches files for which generally there
> is no permission to copy

But that wouldn't be necessary in all cases. For example, my printer
is connected to an Asus router running OpenWRT, which offers a
rudimentary printer spooler. I need that firmware on my router - not
on my NetBSD workstation. On my workstation, all I need is the
GPL2-licensed filters.

> > 2) split the package into base and the script, and only do 1 for the
> script split package.  This lets people whose devices don't need to
> upload firmware avoid LICENSE annoyance.

I think this is probably the best way to go.

> Thanks for the warning not to buy a printer like this :-)

The problem is that there's not an awful lot of options, if you're
looking for a budget laserprinter. Most of these printers are
encumbered in some way. At least these _work_, and have a reasonable
per-page cost.

-- 
Martijn van Buul, martijn.van.buul%gmail.com@localhost

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