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Q: Open Source License - Reciprocal Public License ( No Answer,   1 Comment )
Question  
Subject: Open Source License - Reciprocal Public License
Category: Relationships and Society > Law
Asked by: crzyltlman-ga
List Price: $10.00
Posted: 09 Mar 2003 21:17 PST
Expires: 08 Apr 2003 22:17 PDT
Question ID: 174050
NOTE: I have read the Terms of Service and realize that any answer
provided by GA is "Not Professional Advice".

The Reciprocal Public License (RPL) is an open source software license
created by Technical Pursuit Inc.  It can be viewed at the following
link:  http://www.opensource.org/licenses/rpl.php .

Given a Licensor (in the terms of the RPL) other than Technical
Pursuit Inc., producing software that would be licensed under the RPL,

1) Would the Licensor be required to follow the guidelines of Section
6.2 regarding Modifications, or are only entities other than the
Licensor (e.g. an entity providing Extensions) required to do so?

2) In EXHIBIT A (the Notice that is to be placed within each file of
the Source Code), does the copyright contained therein apply only to
the license itself or to the Source Code file?  Taking into
consideration the modifications allowed in Section 7.1, where would
the Licensor display its name--in place of Technical Pursuit Inc. in
EXHIBIT A, outside of the included Notice in each Source File, or some
other location?

Thanks in advance, and if there are any clarifications necessary,
please let me know.
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: Open Source License - Reciprocal Public License
From: denco-ga on 10 Mar 2003 20:51 PST
 
My reading of the RPL would suggest:

1) The Licensor is not required to follow the guidelines of
Section 6.2, but rather that section applies to changes made
but someone other than the Licensor.

This might be supported by section 3.4:

"3.4 Licensor reserves the right to release new versions of the
Software with different features, specifications, capabilities,
functions, licensing terms, general availability or other
characteristics. Title, ownership rights, and intellectual property
rights in and to the Licensed Software shall remain in Licensor and/or
its Contributors."

So any modifications by the Licensor might be considered a "new"
version of the software instead of a modification.

2) It appears that Exhibit A pertains to the RPL itself.  It appears
the Licensor can include their name in Exhibit A (along with Technical
Pursuit Inc. as long as the RPL hasn't been modified) or can be placed
in the Source Code, or in an external file.  If placed in Exhibit A,
it appears that it should be part of language that is the "Licensor
specifying or allowing use or distribution under the terms of this
License" as stated in 1.0.

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