Subject: bug#67797: closed (Re: bug#67797: non-free license listed in module/ice-9/psyntax.scm)

From: [email-masked] (GNU bug Tracking System)
Date: Sat, 01 Jun 2024 03:55:02 +0000

Your bug report

#67797: non-free license listed in module/ice-9/psyntax.scm

which was filed against the guile package, has been closed.

The explanation is attached below, along with your original report.
If you require more details, please reply to [email-masked].

-- 
67797: https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=67797
GNU Bug Tracking System
Contact [email-masked] with problems

Subject: Re: bug#67797: non-free license listed in module/ice-9/psyntax.scm
From: Maxim Cournoyer <[email-masked]>
To: Mike Gran <[email-masked]>
Cc: "Thompson, David" <[email-masked]>, [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 31 May 2024 23:53:18 -0400
List-Id: <debbugs-submit.debbugs.gnu.org>

Hi,

Maxim Cournoyer <[email-masked]> writes:

> Hi,
>
> Mike Gran <[email-masked]> writes:
>
>>> Hi Mike,
>>
>>> Do I understand correctly that any copyright license comes with an
>>> implicit "lawful" condition so as to be considered valid, per the law of
>>> USA at least?  And that making this explicit is thus not considered a
>>> restriction on the use?
>>
>> That is how I understand it. I am not a lawyer, but, I have had to read a fair number
>> of government contracts.
>
> Thank you.  To get confirmation from a more authoritative source, I've
> asked the question to same to FSF Licensing & Compliance Team; I'll
> report their response if any!

Haven't heard back, but this doesn't seem to be an issue, after all.
Closing.

-- 
Thanks,
Maxim

Subject: non-free license listed in module/ice-9/psyntax.scm
From: Maxim Cournoyer <[email-masked]>
To: bug-guile <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2023 10:51:58 -0500
List-Id: <debbugs-submit.debbugs.gnu.org>

Hello,

In our syntax-case implementation, module/ice-9/psyntax.scm, the
following license text can be found:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
;;; Portable implementation of syntax-case
;;; Originally extracted from Chez Scheme Version 5.9f
;;; Authors: R. Kent Dybvig, Oscar Waddell, Bob Hieb, Carl Bruggeman

;;; Copyright (c) 1992-1997 Cadence Research Systems
;;; Permission to copy this software, in whole or in part, to use this
;;; software for any lawful purpose, and to redistribute this software
;;; is granted subject to the restriction that all copies made of this
;;; software must include this copyright notice in full.  This software
;;; is provided AS IS, with NO WARRANTY, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
;;; INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
;;; OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
;;; AUTHORS BE LIABLE FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES OF ANY
;;; NATURE WHATSOEVER.
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Due to restricting the use to "lawful purpose", it conflicts with the
(L)GPL, as it places restrictions on running the program.

Perhaps there are alternative, clean implementations out there under a
suitable license we could use?

-- 
Thanks,
Maxim