Red Hat Bugzilla – Bug 317271
License conflicts: freeradius vs. openssl
Last modified: 2013-05-13 08:27:06 EDT
Description of problem: freeradius is licensed gplv2+, as far as I was able to figure out, but links against openssl, which is not allowed without an exception clause. Did I miss that somewhere? Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): freeradius-1.1.7-3.1.fc8 How reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. 2. 3. Actual results: Expected results: Additional info:
Based on the date this bug was created, it appears to have been reported during the development of Fedora 8. In order to refocus our efforts as a project we are changing the version of this bug to '8'. If this bug still exists in rawhide, please change the version back to rawhide. (If you're unable to change the bug's version, add a comment to the bug and someone will change it for you.) Thanks for your help and we apologize for the interruption. The process we're following is outlined here: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/BugZappers/F9CleanUp We will be following the process here: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/BugZappers/HouseKeeping to ensure this doesn't happen again.
I don't see a license conflict, nor a requirement for an exception (see below), but INAL (I'm Not A Lawyer). If you have a specific license conflict you can point me to then please re-open this bug and cite it, otherwise for the time being I'm going to close this. From http://www.openssl.org/support/faq.html 2. Can I use OpenSSL with GPL software? On many systems including the major Linux and BSD distributions, yes (the GPL does not place restrictions on using libraries that are part of the normal operating system distribution). On other systems, the situation is less clear. Some GPL software copyright holders claim that you infringe on their rights if you use OpenSSL with their software on operating systems that don't normally include OpenSSL.
(In reply to comment #2) > I don't see a license conflict, nor a requirement for an exception (see > below) > From http://www.openssl.org/support/faq.html I think that openssl license is incompatible GPL. See Reference URI. and, blocking FE-Legal. Reference: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Licensing:FAQ?rd=Licensing/FAQ#What.27s_the_deal_with_the_OpenSSL_license.3F https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#OpenSSL I suggests that Re-open this bug, and: 1. Remove openssl support. 2. Replace GPL compatible library (Example: nss, gnutls) 3. Contact upstream author. thanks.
Additional URI: http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2002/10/msg00113.html http://people.gnome.org/~markmc/openssl-and-the-gpl.html
re comment #3 freeradius has shipped with the recommended openssl license exception (see /usr/share/doc/freeradius-*/LICENSE.openssl since 2009. This was approved by both Red Hat legal and Tom Callaway who oversee's Fedora's licensing. Given the license exception has been in effect for 4 years now and is approved I see no need to reopen this bug. We will not port FreeRADIUS to an alternate crypto library because that would cause the configuration and operation of our version to differ from that of the upstream version. Compatibility with upstream is vital for customers and users who rely on deploying FreeRADIUS consistently across multiple distributions. Also, upstream is well aware of the issue, in fact we and upstream arrived at the solution together 4 years ago, so I doubt upstream is going to be very interested in reopening this either.