Bug 16518 - GPL violation...
Summary: GPL violation...
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: poppler
Classification: Unclassified
Component: general (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Hardware: Other All
: highest blocker
Assignee: poppler-bugs
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Keywords:
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Blocks:
 
Reported: 2008-06-25 08:32 UTC by Martin Schröder
Modified: 2008-08-24 09:35 UTC (History)
0 users

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Description Martin Schröder 2008-06-25 08:32:05 UTC
poppler contains modified XPDF code (which is GPL), but doesn't comply
to the GPL:

-------
  2. You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion
of it, thus forming a work based on the Program, and copy and
distribute such modifications or work under the terms of Section 1
above, provided that you also meet all of these conditions:

    a) You must cause the modified files to carry prominent notices
    stating that you changed the files and the date of any change.
-------

E.g. Dict.h has nothing of a, but is clearly changed. You haven't even
changed the copyright notice... :-)
Comment 1 Albert Astals Cid 2008-06-25 11:41:49 UTC
How should we modify Dict.h to make, oh you great Paladin of the GPL, happy?
Comment 2 Martin Schröder 2008-06-25 12:07:50 UTC
(In reply to comment #1)
> How should we modify Dict.h to make, oh you great Paladin of the GPL, happy?

I don't see how sarcasm is in place here.

Is your version of Dict.h still (c) G&C?

For an example of complying with 2a, see 
http://foundry.supelec.fr/plugins/scmsvn/viewcvs.php/trunk/source/src/libs/xpdf/xpdf/PDFDoc.h?view=markup&root=pdftex&pathrev=423

BTDT.

Comment 3 Albert Astals Cid 2008-06-25 12:49:09 UTC
Sarcasm is, in my opinion, in place because this is probably one of the smallest GPL violations ever and still you found it interesting to pursue it.

Of course we are happy to comply with the GPL license and i thank you for making us note that we are in such violation.

About your suggestion, you mean GPL mandates me to duplicate inside the file what i do have in the VCS?

Just out of curiosity why did you pick Dict and not other class since we've modified lots of classes?
Comment 4 Martin Schröder 2008-06-25 12:52:14 UTC
(In reply to comment #3)
> Sarcasm is, in my opinion, in place because this is probably one of the
> smallest GPL violations ever and still you found it interesting to pursue it.

As I said: BTDT. :-)

> About your suggestion, you mean GPL mandates me to duplicate inside the file
> what i do have in the VCS?

As I read it: Yes. Ask the FSF. :-)

> Just out of curiosity why did you pick Dict and not other class since we've
> modified lots of classes?

I looked for a method to set a key. XPDF doesn't have it, poppler has.
Comment 5 Albert Astals Cid 2008-06-25 13:48:45 UTC
Will ask the FSF.

BTW are you planning to join us? Another head that has hacked through XPDF codebase would be more than welcome.
Comment 6 Martin Schröder 2008-06-26 02:41:52 UTC
FYI: GPLv3 (not an option here) removed the need for a changelog.
Comment 7 Martin Schröder 2008-07-27 10:12:36 UTC
(In reply to comment #5)
> Will ask the FSF.

Any answer yet?
Comment 8 Albert Astals Cid 2008-07-27 12:01:26 UTC
Yeah i got two, one from FSFE that says 

"Not legal advice: There should be a note stating there was a change. In
practice I have noticed that many source files tell people to look at a
changelog, and the changelog lists the changes (name, brief note on
change, date)."

while the FSF says

"In order not to make this overly burdensome, you need only add a one
line, simple notice. So if you modified a file in 2008, you can add
something like this (you can add any extra information you wish):

Copyright (C) 2008, Albert Astals Cid <aacid@kde.org>"

I'm going to do either one or the other for poppler 0.10 (next major version) not for minor versions as i need quite time to dig all the appropiate people that sent contributions.

Is that OK for you?
Comment 9 Martin Schröder 2008-07-28 02:03:54 UTC
(In reply to comment #8)
> Is that OK for you?

Yes. :-)
But IMHO these interpretations are curious, as the wording is quite clear. 
Comment 10 Albert Astals Cid 2008-08-24 09:35:52 UTC
Should be "fixed" on trunk master/poppler 0.9.0 release as per FSF/FSFE suggestions.


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