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xom-interest - Re: [XOM-interest] LGPL vs. GPL with library exception

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Subject: XOM API for Processing XML with Java

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  • From: Robert Koberg <rob AT koberg.com>
  • Cc: xom-interest AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [XOM-interest] LGPL vs. GPL with library exception
  • Date: Sun, 06 Feb 2005 13:25:52 -0800

Paul King wrote:

A move to apache would typically be welcomed by most commercial companies.
The feedback I have (mosty from Australia) on "GPL with library exception"
vs LGPL is that the jury is still out as to which is "safer" for commercial
offerings wanting to bundle xom. Of course you can always dual license it.

Yep... I have talked to a few CEOs of medium sized companies and VP/Directors for large companies. Mostly they just roll their eyes when open source software comes up. It is easy to explain the Apache style license. The (L)GPL style license is always qualified with, "but... you should have your lawyers check it out..." Guess what their response is...

I rarely look at anything besides Apache style licenses, but the folk that are behind XOM seems impressive (e.g. the XML conservative Elliot).

-Rob



Cheers, Paul.

Wolfgang Hoschek wrote:

What's the reason GPL with library exception would be preferred?

For XOM to be more relevant in today's Java open source ecosystem, which is overhelmingly dominated by Apache or Apache style licenses, it would make more sense to move towards Apache style or similar.

Irrespective of what opinion one might have on the related licensing debates, justified or not, (I'm not interested in such debates either), it is probably safe to say that a lot of potential XOM users and companies would see such as move as encouraging, and would start considering using XOM. Keep in mind that in reality it doesn't matter to what extent problems with GPL are technically FUD (or not), because users and companies typically are on the legally safe side, rather than potentially sorry.

Just my 2 cents...

Wolfgang.





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