[Pidgin] #15309: legalize OpenSSL!

[Pidgin]

#15309: legalize OpenSSL!
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 Reporter:  zooko         |     Owner:  rekkanoryo
     Type:  defect        |    Status:  new       
Component:  unclassified  |   Version:  2.10.6    
 Keywords:                |  
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 According to comment:3:ticket:15308, some contributors have said they will
 not agree to relicence pidgin away from GPL. However, have you asked those
 contributors if they would be willing to add an exception which allows
 people to use pidgin with OpenSSL? Such an exception clause to the GPL has
 been recommended for certain cases (namely, a different code base, Qt) by
 the Free Software Exception:

 http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#QPL

 And several projects (including one that I maintain -- Tahoe-LAFS) apply
 such an exception to GPL in order to allow combination of that project
 with OpenSSL. Another project that does this is wget:

 http://users.ugent.be/~bpuype/wget/

 Such an exception to GPL allow combination with OpenSSL has been
 recommended on the debian-legal mailing list:

 http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/05/msg00595.html

 To do this, ask the contributors if they would be okay with adding the
 following text to the licensing:

    As a special exception, you have permission to link this
    program with the OpenSSL library and distribute executables,
    as long as you follow the requirements of the GNU GPL in
    regard to all of the software in the executable aside from
    OpenSSL.


 I don't know if using OpenSSL would make things better or easier, but it
 would be nice if developers had the option of using OpenSSL and weren't
 hindered by an unnecessary legal barrier.

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/15309>
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