SoftwareLicensing » History » Version 3
laforge, 02/19/2016 10:47 PM
1 | 1 | laforge | = Software Licensing = |
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3 | 2 | laforge | == OpenBSC executable programs == |
4 | 1 | laforge | The following notes apply to software described on this wiki, developed as part of the Osmocom project. |
5 | Specifically, it applies to OpenBSC, osmo-bsc, osmo-sgsn, gb_proxy, ipaccess-config, bsc_nat, bsc_mgcp, ... |
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7 | For reasons of simplicity, we always call it ''OpenBSC'' here. |
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9 | '''OpenBSC is copyrighted software like any other computer program. In order to use OpenBSC, you need |
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10 | a license from the copyright holders.''' |
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12 | If you do not arrange for a different license with the copyright holders, the software ships with a |
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13 | default license: The [http://fsf.org/licenses/agpl-3.0.html AGPLv3] (GNU Affero General Public License, Version 3). |
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15 | 2 | laforge | ==== General idea behind the License ==== |
16 | 1 | laforge | |
17 | The general idea behind our licensing model is as follows: You receive the full source code of |
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18 | the OpenBSC software and can use it like you see fit, '''but''' we require you to release the |
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19 | source code of any modifications or derivative work you create. |
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21 | With AGPL, it does not matter whether you ever distribute the OpenBSC software. As soon as you |
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22 | provide a GSM network using OpenBSC, all users are entitled to receive a copy of the license text |
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23 | and the ''complete corresponding source code'' of the very version you are using to run the GSM network with. |
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25 | 2 | laforge | === Alternative Licenses / Dual Licensing === |
26 | 1 | laforge | |
27 | If you do not agree to the abovementioned conditions, you may contact the copyright holders and apply for |
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28 | an alternative license. Business details will depend on your intended use case, size of the installation, ... |
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29 | 2 | laforge | |
30 | == libosmocore == |
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32 | The {{{libosmocore}}}. {{{libosmovty}}} and {{{libosmogsm}}} libraries are licensed under GPLv2+, i.e. |
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33 | "GNU GPL Version 2, or any later version". This means at the time of this writing, you can license them |
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34 | under either [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html GPLv2] or [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html GPLv3]. |
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36 | As both GPLv2 and GPLv3 are ''strong copyleft'' licenses, it means that creating a derivative work of |
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37 | the library and an executable program will require that executable program to be under the same GPL version. |
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39 | If you use the libraries together with the Osmocom executable programs (see above), then libosmocore |
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40 | will be licensed under GPLv3, which is compatible with the AGPLv3 of the executable programs. |
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41 | 3 | laforge | |
42 | == Questions == |
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44 | If you have any questions regarding the licenses used in the Osmocom project, please contact the project |
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45 | authors '''before''' you create any kind of product or a derivative work. |