-Caldera (now known as the SCO group) is the current owner of the Unix -code copyrights. On 23 January 2002, the original Unix code (versions 1 -through seven, including 32V) was freed by Caldera. This code is now -available under a +The original Unix code (AT&T versions 1 through 7 UNIX, including 32V) +was freed by Caldera, Inc. on 23 January 2002 and is now available under a 4-term BSD-style license. -As a result, it is now possible to incorporate real Unix code into OpenBSD -(though this code is quite old and generally requires significant changes -to bring it up to date). +As a result, it would theoretically be possible to incorporate original +Unix code into OpenBSD. However, that code is now so old that it doesn't +satisfy today's interface and quality standards.
@@ -238,18 +236,9 @@
-The original Apache copyright is similar to the Berkeley copyright, except -that it stipulates that products derived from the code may not -have "Apache" in their name. The purpose of this clause is to -avoid a situation in which another party releases a modified version -of the code named in such a way to make users think that it is the -"official" version. This is not an issue with OpenBSD because -OpenBSD is a Compilation, and not a -Derived Work. -Source code published under version 2 of the Apache license cannot -be included into OpenBSD. As a consequence, OpenBSD now maintains -its own version of Apache based on version 1.3.29. The OpenBSD -version includes many enhancements and bugfixes. +The original Apache license was similar to the Berkeley license, +but source code published under version 2 of the Apache license is +subject to additional restrictions and cannot be included into OpenBSD.
@@ -266,23 +255,23 @@ The GNU Public License and licenses modeled on it impose the restriction that source code must be distributed or made available for all works that are derivatives of the GNU copyrighted code. -
-While this may be a noble strategy in terms of software sharing, it is a -condition that is typically unacceptable for commercial use of software. -As a consequence, software bound by the GPL terms can not be included in -the kernel or "runtime" of OpenBSD, though software subject to GPL terms -may be included as development tools or as part of the system that are -"optional" as long as such use does not result in OpenBSD as a whole -becoming subject to the GPL terms.
+While this may superficially look like a noble strategy, it is a +condition that is typically unacceptable for commercial use of software. +So in practice, it usually ends up hindering free sharing and reuse +of code and ideas rather than encouraging it. +As a consequence, no additional software bound by the GPL terms +will be considered for inclusion into the OpenBSD base system. -As an example, GCC and other GNU tools are included in the OpenBSD -tool chain. However, it is quite possible to distribute a system for -many applications without a tool chain, or the distributor can choose -to include a tool chain as an optional bundle which conforms to the -GPL terms.
+For historical reasons, the OpenBSD base system still includes the +following GPL-licensed components: the GNU compiler collection (GCC) +with supporting binutils and libraries, GNU CVS, GNU texinfo, the +lynx text browser, the mkhybrid file system creation tool, and the +readline library. Replacement by equivalent, more freely licensed +tools is a long-term desideratum. +
Much of OpenBSD is originally based on and evolved from NetBSD, since some @@ -318,11 +307,12 @@ included that is not part of the Linux core.
-
-X, X.Org or XFree86 are not parts of OpenBSD, rather X.Org and parts of -XFree86 3.3.6 are distributed -with many OpenBSD ports as a convenience to the user, subject to applicable -license terms. +
+The X.Org Foundation maintains and distributes the X Window System +under a modified MIT license, which is quite similar to the BSD +license and additionally allows sublicensing. Under the name of +Xenocara, the OpenBSD base system includes an improved and actively +maintained version of the X.Org code.
@@ -343,6 +333,13 @@ truly in the "Public Domain" all rights are abandoned and the material is offered without restrictions.
+ +In some jurisdictions, it is doubtful whether voluntarily placing +one's own work into the public domain is legally possible. +For that reason, to make any substantial body of code free, +it is preferable to state the copyright and put it under an ISC +or BSD license instead of attempting to release it into the public +domain.