[Debichem-devel] USPP-7.3.6 GPL license and additional restrictions

[Michael Banck]

Dear Prof. Vanderbilt,

I had a look at http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~dhv/uspp/ in order to
assess how to distribute reasonable default pseudo-potentials for use in
ABINIT and PWSCF for the Debian distribution.

The source distribution of USPP[1] includes the file Source/LICENSE
pointing at the GPLv2, and a source-code header comment in earch Fortran
file stating the file is licensing under the GPL[2].

However, the top-level AA-README file states the following restrictions:

|1. The code is not guaranteed to be bug-free.
|
|2. The quality of the pseudopotentials generated by the provided input
|   files is not guaranteed.
|
|3. No active support is provided for this package.
|
|4. The code may not be used for profit-making purposes or
|   included in any commercial code except by express arrangement.

Point 4 is very problematic and incompatible with the GPL, effectively
making it illegal/impossible to redistribute USPP.  On the above
website, this fourth restriction is not present, could you advice on its
status?

If this fourth restriction is indeed (no longer) applicable, it would be
fine for USPP to be shipped as part of Debian (or Ubuntu).  I guess a
new release would not be necessary for this change as the source code is
very clear that it is under the GPLv2.


Many thanks and best regards,

Michael


[1] http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~dhv/uspp/uspp-736-0.tgz

[2] As an aside, unless you want to explicitly forbid usage of your code
under newer versions of the GPL (notably GPLv3), it is advised to state
that source code is licensed under the "GPL version 2 or any later
version"