[Insight-developers] Qt 4.0 released : Licensing pains

[Luis Ibanez]

   Please be aware that when you use the Open Source
   version of Qt in your code, you are *required* to
   distribute your code under a *GPL license*.


   For example, any application using the code in

      InsightApplications/Auxiliary/QtImageViewer

   are forced to be distributed under a GPL license.
   This is once again, the viral characteristic of
   GPL striking.



   A BSD-like license, such as the one used by ITK
   will not satisfy the requirements of the QT Open
   Source license.



   This implies that the Qt examples in ITK are
   actually subject to a GPL license, which lead
   us to think that we should remove them from the
   InsightApplications checkout.


   Note also that saying "GPL" is not enough anymore,
   since the GPL license, as many other licenses, have
   versions. You must be aware that GPL Version 3.0
   has different terms than GPL Version 2.2.  For example,
   the Linux Kernel is covered by a license GPL version 2,
   and it is uncertain whether it will adopt a GPL version 3
   or not.




   For details on the annoying but important aspects of
   licensing Open Source software please refer to the
   following Wiki page:

http://www.na-mic.org/Wiki/index.php/NAMIC_Wiki:Community_Licensing



   For a discussion on why the GPL license is *no longer*
   a good practice for the Open Source movement, please
   see the recent interview to Eric Raymond (founder of
   theo Open Source Initiative http://opensource.org)


http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2005/06/30/esr_interview.html

      "We don't need the GPL anymore. It's based on the
       belief that open source software is weak and needs
       to be protected. Open source would be succeeding
       faster if the GPL didn't make lots of people nervous
       about adopting it."


            Key note speech at the
            International Forum of Free Software in Brazil.





      Luis





--------------------
Julien Jomier wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> Trolltech has released Qt4.
> http://www.trolltech.com/
> 
> This version can be used/distributed on windows as long as you are 
> developing open-source applications.
> http://www.trolltech.com/download/opensource.html
> 
> And if you are bored check the qt4 dance:
> http://www.trolltech.com/video/qt4dance.html
> (I know they are making fun of the french accent ;))
> 
> have a great weekend,
> 
> Julien
> 
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