Re: [HACKERS] PostgreSQL Licence: GNU/GPL

> This is really good as far as it goes.  I'd also like to see the
> point made that we cannot simply relicense the code, even if we wished
> to, because the current developers are not the sole authors/owners.
> Perhaps something like this:
> 
>    The PostgreSQL project has released its code under the BSD license
>    since its inception; as did the Berkeley Postgres project before us.
>    Occasionally, users suggest that the project be relicensed under the
>    GPL.  This is not very practical because it would require the
>    concurrence not only of the current developers, but many past
>    contributors both at Berkeley and all over the net.  Furthermore,
>    many PostgreSQL developers feel the GPL contains restrictions that
>    would limit the ability of commercial entities to contribute or
>    continue contributing to the codebase, and question the need for such
>    restrictions.  In light of these issues, we will continue with the
>    BSD license for the foreseeable future.

Man, this text is getting longer.  :-(

Anyway, let's look at it this way.  If we allow for proprietary versions
of PostgreSQL, it is hard to imagine why we couldn't make a GPL version
_without_ the agreement of past contributors.  We have to keep the BSD
part about giving credit and no sueing, but we can clearly _add_ the GPL
cruft if we wanted to and all current/future developers agree.  It is
basically a GPL fork of PostgreSQL, rather than a proprietary fork.

Now, I don't want to do that, but I do think it is doable.


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