On Thu, Dec 14, 2006 at 12:08:33AM -0800, Justin Patrin wrote:
>  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.

Hi,

I sent a mail to licensing@[...].org to ask for confirmation :)

However, I think the 3.0-> 3.01 changes was related to another issue.
I think it was meant to make the PHP License legally apply to
something else than PHP itself strictly speaking - PEAR packages. (1)


This means that the license is probably still incompatible with the
GNU GPL. I found this webpage:
http://gplv3.fsf.org/wiki/index.php/PHP_license%2C_version_3.01 for a
more detailed explanation. The page also says that maybe the PHP
License will not be compatible with the GPLv3 in fact :/ (2)


Currently I'm a bit unsure about whether I can or cannot use packages
under the PHP license in my application.

For this reason I think it would be clearer if PEAR packages under the
PHP license were re-released under the modified BSD license. What do
you think?

-- 
Sylvain


(1)  Here's the diff (diff -u 3_0.txt 3_01.txt):

-     "This product includes PHP, freely available from
-     <http://www.php.net/> ".
+     "This product includes PHP software, freely available from
+     <http://www.php.net/software/> ".

and
 
-This product includes the Zend Engine, freely available at
+PHP includes the Zend Engine, freely available at

It fixes the fact that a PEAR packages do not contain PHP itself :)


(2) The page reads: <<The PHP license has two restrictions on using
the name "PHP"> >. This is apparently what makes the license
incompatible with the GPL.

Later on you read:

"However, the second draft of the GPLv3 prohibits the following
additional terms:
    requirements regarding changes to the name of the work
which conflicts with the PHP license's prohibition on using "PHP" as a
name for the work."

So using the PHP License for PEAR package may be an issue even after
the release of GPLv3 :/

-- 
PEAR Development Mailing List (http://pear.php.net/)
To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php