asterisk and mysql_cdr

[Jose Carlos Garcia Sogo]

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 Please, keep CC on Debian VoIP list.

El vie, 25-02-2005 a las 19:44 +0000, Mark Purcell escribi=C3=B3:
> I think you are basically correct. But it might be worth discussing on
> Debian-legal.
>=20
> I think there is also an issue with using non-GPL libraries such as
> openh323 and mysql within the same application. Per the
> asterisk-doc/README.mysql.
>=20
> Mark
>=20
>=20
> MYSQL LICENSING UPDATE
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> We were recently contacted by MySQL and informed that the MySQL client=20
> libraries are now under GPL license and not LGPL license as before. =20
>=20
> Since Asterisk does allow exceptions to GPL, we are removing MySQL suppor=
t=20
> from standard Asterisk.  We will, where appropriate, make it available vi=
a=20
> a separate package which will only be usable when Asterisk is used comple=
tely
> within GPL (i.e. not in conjunction with G.729, OpenH.323, etc).  We=20
> apologize for the confusion.
>=20
> You may find this in the new "asterisk-addons" package.

 In my opinion that removal was wrong and unnecessary. Copyright holders
for a GPL package can put exceptions to allow distribution of binaries
of their software linked to GPL-incompatible pieces of software. And the
viral seed of GPL has nothing to do here, as the program who links to
GPL incompatible software is GPL itself.

 If what the Asterisk author says above were true, his only problem were
not mysql. The same for every program giving an exception for linking
with OpenSSL or other different GPL incompatible software.

 Anyway, I am CCing debian-legal, so we can get advice on this.


> On Fri, Feb 25, 2005 at 02:25:13PM +0200, Tzafrir Cohen wrote:
> > Hi
> >=20
> > I'm not sure I understand this so I'll ask here:
> > Is there a legal issue with adding cdr_mysql support to the Debian
> > Asterisk package?
> >=20
> > Please corrent me if I'm wrong here:
> >=20
> > - Asterisk may be distributed under the terms of the GPL or under the
> > 	terms of a modified-GPL: the GPL with some provisions to allow a
> > 	number of libraries to be linked with it.

   No, Asterisk can only be distributed as GPL with an exception to it
granted by copyright holder to be able to link asterisk with openssl and
pwlib/openh323. Nobody but the copyright holder can remove that
exception.

> >=20
> > - One of those libraries is openh323, whose license is MPL (incompatibl=
e
> > 	wit hthe GPL)
> >=20
> > - Thus if I want to link with openh323 I need to have asterisk licensed
> > 	with the modified GPL (or an alternative license from Digium, which is
> > 	not an option here)
> >=20
> > - the mysql client libraries are licensed under the terms of the GPL.
> > 	Thus it is illegal to link asterisk with a modified-GPL license to
> > 	together with mysql client libraries.

   This is not a modified GPL, but GPL with an exception from copyright
holder of the source, which is the ultimate holder of any right over
that piece of software.

> >=20
> > Hopefully I'm wrong somewhere...
> >=20
> > --=20
> > Tzafrir Cohen     icq#16849755  +972-50-7952406
> > tzafrir.cohen@xorcom.com  http://www.xorcom.com
> >=20
--=20
Jose Carlos Garcia Sogo
   jsogo@debian.org

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