Bug#618696: closed by Adam C Powell IV <hazelsct at debian.org> (Re: elmer: multiple licensing issues)

[Francesco Poli]

reopen 618696
thanks


On Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:51:55 +0100 Francesco Poli wrote:

> On Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:15:09 +0000 Debian Bug Tracking System wrote:
[...] 
> > elmergrid/acx_metis.m4:
> > 
> > As you indicate, linking GPL objects with QPL objects creates a derived
> > work which violates the copyright of the GPL objects.  That's not what's
> > happening here.  The file acx_metis.m4 is an m4 script, not a binary, so
> > there is no combined derived work, and no GPL violation.
> 
> OK, so there's no GPL-compatibility issue, thanks for clarifying!
> 
> Can we address the non-freeness of QPL-licensed files, though?
> As I said, there are a number of precedents of QPL-licensed works that
> were considered unsuitable for main.

Since the first licensing issue is still present (non-freeness of a
QPL-licensed file), I am reopening the bug report.

I think the possible solutions are:

 (A) elmergrid/acx_metis.m4 should be replaced by a DFSG-free
equivalent, if any is available.

 (1B) elmergrid/acx_metis.m4 copyright holders should be contacted
and persuaded to re-license (or dual-license) the file under
DFSG-free terms (better if GPL-compatible, but this is not a must).



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