Bug#741303: libfeel++1: libfeelpp.so.1.0.0 links with both GPL-licensed and GPL-incompatible libraries

[Francesco Poli (wintermute)]

Package: libfeel++1
Version: 1:0.95.0-final-2
Severity: serious
Justification: Policy 2.3
User: debian-science-maintainers at lists.alioth.debian.org
Usertags: scotch-license-issues

Hello,
the library /usr/lib/libfeelpp.so.1.0.0 links with:

  => libumfpack.so.5.6.2, which is under the GNU GPL v2 or later

  => libcholmod.so.2.1.2, which has parts under the GNU GPL v2 or later

  => libptscotch-5.1.so and libptscotcherr-5.1.so, which are released
     under the GPL-incompatible terms of the CeCILL-C v1.0 license

  => libpetsc.so.3.4.2 and libslepc.so.3.4.2, which, though not being
     under strong copyleft or under copyleft at all, link, in their
     turn, with the above three libraries...

  => libglpk.so.36, which is under the GNU GPL v3 or later

  => libgmsh.so.2, which is under the GNU GPL v2 or later (with some
     exceptions, but not regarding SCOTCH or CeCILL-C)

This seems to mean that package libfeel++1 includes a file which
links with both GPL-licensed and GPL-incompatible libraries.

Please refer to the similar bug #740463 for some further details about
the SCOTCH licensing issues.

I have also noticed that package feel++-apps includes several files
which link with the above mentioned combination of libraries.

I think the possible solutions to the issue for feel++ are, in
descending order of desirability:

 (A) SCOTCH copyright holders should be contacted and persuaded to
re-license (or dual-license) it under GPLv2-or-later-compatible terms

 (B) SCOTCH should be substituted with a GPLv2-or-later-compatible
replacement, if any is available (METIS seems to be at least
GPLv3-or-later-compatible, see https://bugs.debian.org/740463#15 )

 (C) GPL-licensed library (such as UMFPACK and CHOLMOD, GLPK, Gmsh)
copyright holders should be asked to relax the copyleft (for instance
by switching to the LGPL v2.1) or add license exceptions that give
permission to link their works with code released under CeCILL-C v1.0


As said in other bug reports, the best solution is (A):
I am thus renewing my call for help to push in the direction of
{re|dual}-licensing SCOTCH under the GNU LGPL v2.1:
please see https://bugs.debian.org/740463#5 for the full story.

Thanks for your time!