Re: MIB Module Copyright Issue

[Scott Bradner <[e-mail]>]

Deirdre,
	I sent that question to the lawyers a few days ago.

thanks

Scott

----

From [e-mail] Tue Mar 19 13:03:05 1996
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 12:58:30 -0500
Sender: [e-mail]
From: Deirdre Kostick <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: MIB Module Copyright Issue
Content-Type: text


Scott -

This is input for you & FYI for others...

After the IESG session, Randy Presuhn of
PEER networks raised an issue about how NMS's
and other MIB browsers that display RFC content
would be affected under the POISED'95
copyright statements. 

Deirdre

-------------------- begin forwarded message --------------------
> From [e-mail] Thu Mar 14 00:54:53 1996
> Status: RO
....header stuff deleted.....

> Content-Length: 6035
> 
> Hi -
> 
> We talked about the following in Los Angeles after the IESG session.
> Feel free to forward this as needed.  Let me know if you need any
> additional information.
> 
> In ISO land it was asserted that if one applied US copyright law
> to the standards, any product making use of the text of an ASN.1
> module or GDMO definition from those standards would be in violation
> of the law.  This was recognized as a problem.  For example, it is
> very common for MIB browsers to make use of descriptive text from
> MIB definitions.  If partial reproduction of an RFC is prohibited,
> MIB browsers employing DESCRIPTION text from MIB modules will be
> in violation.
> 
> Within JTC1/SC21/WG4 an agreement was hammered out to add text to
> relevant ISO standards that would explicitly permit the use of the
> ASN.1 and GDMO portions in implementations.  I don't know what the
> ultimate fate of that agreement was.
> 
> The attached is an example of the kinds of gyrations that have resulted
> from copyright restrictions published with standards.  Enjoy!
> 
>  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  Randy Presuhn                 PEER Networks, a division of BMC Software, Inc.
>  Voice: [phone]        1190 Saratoga Avenue, Suite 130
>  Fax:   [phone]        San Jose, California 95129-3433
>  Email: [e-mail]  USA                             
>  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Organization: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
> > Sub-Organization: Computer Systems Laboratory (CSL)
> > Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are those of the sender
> >         and do not reflect NIST policy or agreement.
> > Message-Id: <v02130504ad49ef9d293b@[129.6.27.185]>
> > Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 11:26:07 +0300
> > To: [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]
> > From: [e-mail] (Paul J Brusil, consultant)
> > Subject: SNMSIG-96/046 ISO/IEC/ITU Response to GDMO Copy Right Waiver Request (EGNM/95/056)
> > 
> >                                        SNMSIG-96/046
> >                                        (EGNM/95/056)
> >                                        16 February 96
> > 
> > 
> >    ISO/IEC/ITU Response to GDMO Copy Right Waiver Request
> > 
> > (Note: The following is a transcription of the official
> > signed letter - on joint ISO, IEC, ITU letter head - that was
> > sent to the Regional Workshop Coordinating Committee.)
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >                                Mr. Tadao Saito
> >                                AOW President, RWS-CC Chairman
> >                                INTAP
> >                                Sumitomo Gaien Bldg. 3F
> >                                24-Daikyo-cho
> >                                Shinjuku-ku
> >                                TOKYO 160, Japan
> > 
> > Via Fax and Airmail            31 March 1995
> > 
> > 
> > Dear Mr. Saito,
> > 
> > Authorization granted to the Regional Workshops Coordinating
> > Committee (RWS-CC) for reproducing and distributing GDMO
> > (Guidelines for the definition of Managed Objects)
> > information definitions.
> > 
> >      Your letter of 7 February 1995 and the problem presented
> > therein have been carefully studied within our respective
> > Organizations, and we are pleased to inform you that herewith
> > of our common positive reply to your request contained
> > therein.
> > 
> >      In order to foster the research on, and the development
> > of, new management information systems using standard
> > definitions of Managed Objects, we grant - free of charge -
> > the Regional Workshop Coordinating Committee (RWS-CC) the
> > authorization to distribute, on a non-commercial basis, to
> > the Regional Workshops forming RWS-CC, the GDMO/ASN.1 source
> > codes copied or derived from standards/recommendations, for
> > which our Organizations are the respective copyright holders.
> > This authorization is given on the understanding that it
> > includes the authorization for the Regional Workshops
> > concerned to further distribute, once again on a non-
> > commercial basis and for research and standard development
> > purposes only, compilable versions of such source codes for
> > use related to, and the achievement of, the aforementioned
> > purposes. This authorization is limited to GDMO/ASN.1 source
> > codes only and does not include any distribution of the
> > standards/recommendations themselves, of which such source
> > codes form only part, as it is our understanding that users
> > of such source codes still need a copy of the full
> > standards/recommendations containing them and can obtain it
> > from our respective Organizations.
> > 
> >      In order to ensure that there be only one central
> > distribution authority for such compilable source codes, we
> > prefer that this be the RWS-CC itself which may certainly
> > feel free to avail itself on INTAP to actually provide this
> > service to the Regional Workshops concerned.
> > 
> >      In return for our present joint authorization granted,
> > each of our respective Organizations shall, upon request,
> > obtain, at any time and free of charge from RWS-CC, sets of
> > compilable versions of enhanced implementable standards,
> > containing source codes thus distributed to the Regional
> > Workshops concerned, for its own, non-commercial, use or
> > distribution for similar research and standard development
> > purposes only.
> > 
> >      If you accept our foregoing proposal, the authorization
> > contained herein will take its full legal effect on the day
> > of receipt of your letter of confirmation and acceptance of
> > the above conditions by the ITU, to which you are kindly
> > requested to send your reply letter and which will inform the
> > co-authors of the present letter accordingly.
> > 
> >                             Yours sincerely,
> > 
> > (signature)                            (signature)
> > Lawrence D. Eicher                     Anthony Raeburn
> > Secretary-General, ISO                 General Secretary, IEC
> > 
> > 
> >                        (signature)
> >                        Pekka Tarjanne
> >                        Secretary-General, ITU
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
-------------------- end of forwarded message --------------------