RE: IETF Last Call for two IPR WG Dcouments

Simon Josefsson wrote:
> To give the Trust something concrete to work with I propose to add the
> following:
> 
>   To make sure the granted rights are usable in practice, they need to
>   at least meet the requirements of the Open Source Definition [OSD],
>   the Free Software Definition [FSD], and the Debian Free Software
>   Guidelines [DFSG].

+1

/Larry


> -----Original Message-----
> From: ietf-bounces@ietf.org [mailto:ietf-bounces@ietf.org] On Behalf Of
> Simon Josefsson
> Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 3:02 AM
> To: Russ Housley
> Cc: ietf@ietf.org
> Subject: Re: IETF Last Call for two IPR WG Dcouments
> 
> Regarding -outbound section 4.3:
> 
>    IETF contributions often include components intended to be directly
>    processed by a computer.  Examples of these include ABNF definitions,
>    XML Schemas, XML DTDs, XML RelaxNG definitions, tables of values,
>    MIBs, ASN.1, or classical programming code.  These are included in
>    IETF contributions for clarity and precision in specification.  It is
>    clearly beneficial, when such items are included in IETF
>    contributions, to permit the inclusion of such code components in
>    products which implement the contribution.  It has been pointed out
>    that in several important contexts use of such code requires the
>    ability to modify the code.  One common example of this is simply the
>    need to adapt code for use in specific contexts (languages,
>    compilers, tool systems, etc.)  Such use frequently requires some
>    changes to the text of the code from the IETF contribution.  Another
>    example is that code included in open source products is frequently
>    licensed to permit any and all of the code to be modified.  Since we
>    want this code included in such products, it follows that we need to
>    permit such modification.  While there has been discussion of
>    restricting the rights to make such modifications in some way, the
>    rough consensus of the IETF is that such restrictions are likely a
>    bad idea, and are certainly very complex to define.
> 
>    As such, the rough consensus is that the IETF Trust is to grant
>    rights such that code components of IETF contributions can be
>    extracted, modified, and used by anyone in any way desired.  To
>    enable the broadest possible extraction, modification and usage, the
>    IETF Trust should avoid adding software license obligations beyond
>    those already present in a contribution.  The granted rights to
>    extract, modify and use code should allow creation of derived works
>    outside the IETF that may carry additional license obligations.
> ...
> 
> I believe the intention here is good, but it leaves the IETF Trust with
> no guidelines on how to write the license declaration that is likely to
> work well in practice with actual products.  There are no reference to
> what "open source" means in this context, and references to "free
> software" is missing.
> 
> I believe it would be a complete failure if code-like portions of RFCs
> cannot be included into open source and free software products such as
> the Debian project.
> 
> To give the Trust something concrete to work with I propose to add the
> following:
> 
>   To make sure the granted rights are usable in practice, they need to
>   at least meet the requirements of the Open Source Definition [OSD],
>   the Free Software Definition [FSD], and the Debian Free Software
>   Guidelines [DFSG].
> 
> For those who fear that this will lead to complexity: releasing
> something that is compatible with those requirements is simple.  The
> modified BSD license meets those requirements, as does a number of other
> methods, including releasing the work into the public domain.
> 
> The references being:
> 
> [OSD] "The Open Source Definition",
>       http://opensource.org/docs/osd
> 
> [FSD] "The Free Software Definition",
>       http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/free-sw.html
> 
> [DFSG] "The Debian Free Software Guidelines",
>       http://www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines
> 
> Thanks,
> Simon
> 
> Russ Housley <housley@vigilsec.com> writes:
> 
> > During the Wednesday Plenary at IETF 71, I gave the IETF community a
> > "heads up" on two documents from the IPR WG that were nearing IETF
> > Last Call.  Both of the documents have now reached IETF Last
> > call.  The Last Call announcements are attached.  Please review and
> comment.
> >
> > Russ
> >
> > == == == == == == == == == ==
> >
> > To: IETF-Announce <ietf-announce@ietf.org>
> > From: The IESG <iesg-secretary@ietf.org>
> > Subject: Last Call: draft-ietf-ipr-outbound-rights (Advice to the
> >          Trustees of the IETF Trust on Rights to be Granted in IETF
> >          Documents) to Informational RFC
> > Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:15:56 -0700 (PDT)
> > Cc: ipr-wg@ietf.org
> >
> > The IESG has received a request from the Intellectual Property Rights WG
> > (ipr) to consider the following document:
> >
> > - 'Advice to the Trustees of the IETF Trust on Rights to be Granted in
> >     IETF Documents '
> >     <draft-ietf-ipr-outbound-rights-06.txt> as an Informational RFC
> >
> > The IESG plans to make a decision in the next few weeks, and solicits
> > final comments on this action.  Please send substantive comments to the
> > ietf@ietf.org mailing lists by 2008-04-02. Exceptionally,
> > comments may be sent to iesg@ietf.org instead. In either case, please
> > retain the beginning of the Subject line to allow automated sorting.
> >
> > The file can be obtained via
> > http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-ipr-outbound-rights-
> 06.txt
> >
> > This document is closely related to draft-ietf-ipr-3978-incoming.
> > The two documents should be considered as a set.  IETF Last Call for
> > draft-ietf-ipr-3978-incoming will begin as soon as the next update is
> > posted.
> >
> > IESG discussion can be tracked via
> >
> https://datatracker.ietf.org/public/pidtracker.cgi?command=view_id&dTag=14
> 518&rfc_flag=0
> >
> > == == == == == == == == == ==
> >
> > To: IETF-Announce <ietf-announce@ietf.org>
> > From: The IESG <iesg-secretary@ietf.org>
> > Subject: Last Call: draft-ietf-ipr-3978-incoming (Rights Contributors
> >          provide to the IETF Trust) to BCP
> > Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 07:19:57 -0700 (PDT)
> > Cc: ipr-wg@ietf.org
> >
> > The IESG has received a request from the Intellectual Property Rights WG
> > (ipr) to consider the following document:
> >
> > - 'Rights Contributors provide to the IETF Trust '
> >     <draft-ietf-ipr-3978-incoming-08.txt> as a BCP
> >
> > The IESG plans to make a decision in the next few weeks, and solicits
> > final comments on this action.  Please send substantive comments to the
> > ietf@ietf.org mailing lists by 2008-04-07. Exceptionally,
> > comments may be sent to iesg@ietf.org instead. In either case, please
> > retain the beginning of the Subject line to allow automated sorting.
> >
> > The file can be obtained via
> > http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-ipr-3978-incoming-08.txt
> >
> > This document is closely related to draft-ietf-ipr-outbound-rights,
> > which is already in Last Call.  The two documents should be considered
> > as a set.
> >
> > IESG discussion can be tracked via
> >
> https://datatracker.ietf.org/public/pidtracker.cgi?command=view_id&dTag=15
> 855&rfc_flag=0
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