On 12/13/06, Sylvain Beucler <beuc@[...].net>  wrote:
>  Hello,
> 
>  I am working on GPL'd PHP code, and I would like to use some of the
>  fine PEAR packages in my projects (for example,
>  http://gna.org/p/savane and http://gcourrier.cliss21.com) :)
> 
>  However, I read that the PHP license that some packages use is not
>  compatible with the GNU GPL due to details in the license specific to
>  the PHP engine itself (1). This means I cannot legally use a PEAR
>  package such as QuickForm or Structures_DataGrid in my GPL'd app :/
> 
> 
>  I see that 'PHP Group' is marked as copyright holder of PEAR packages,
>  so it wouldn't be needed to contact each and every contributor to
>  change this.
> 
>  Could the PHP Group re-release PEAR packages that are under the PHP
>  license, under the 'modified BSD' license? mBSD is the same as the PHP
>  license minus the PHP-engine-specific statements, and compatible with
>  the GPL (and with the PHP license as well ;)).
> 
> 
>  I see that the latest GPLv3 draft is compatible with the PHP license
>  (http://gplv3.fsf.org/wiki/index.php/Compatible_licenses#GPLv3-compatible_licenses)
>  which is great news. However, I'd need to use PEAR packages in my
>  projects now, and can't ill afford to wait for months until the GPLv3
>  is out, so I'd need to use other packages instead :/
> 
>  Would it be possible to re-release PHP-licensed PEAR packages now?
> 
>  Thanks,
> 
>  --
>  Sylvain
> 
> 
>  (1) Check http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html:
> 
>  "PHP License, Version 3.0: This license is used by most of PHP4. It is
>  a non-copyleft free software license which is incompatible with the
>  GNU GPL. We recommend that you not use this license for anything
>  except PHP add-ons."
> 
>  For example, in the PHP license:
>    4. Products derived from this software may not be called "PHP", nor
>       may "PHP" appear in their name, without prior written permission
>       from group@[...].net.  You may indicate that your software works in
>       conjunction with PHP by saying "Foo for PHP" instead of calling
>       it "PHP Foo" or "phpfoo"
> 
>  This is specific to the PHP interpreter and not compatible with the
>  GNU _General_ Public License. In fact this doesn't seem really needed
>  for PEAR packages.
> 

This incompatibility was found and fixed in the latest version of the
PHP License. If you find a package which is not using the newest
version (3.01) then ask the authors to update it. IIRC the only change
was to this troublesome clause.

-- 
Justin Patrin

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