PMC03 Creation of BSD Licensed Code Generation Support Files

Resolution

The PMC resolves to create a version of the Specification XML file(s) in addition to the Specification XML file which will be known as the "BSD Distributable XML File" .

This additional file will differ from the Specification XML file in the following ways:

1. It will not carry the AMQP License and the associated patent license
2. All narrative specification text will be removed from these files (every <DOC> section will be removed)
3. It will be Copyright AMQP Working Group
4. It will carry the revised BSD License (without advertising clause), and will therefore be modifiable by licensees

This file will be marked as being officially unsupported, but we will use reasonable efforts to release such a file for all past and future publicly available versions of AMQP. The three-clause BSD License is selected due to its compatibility to the GNU General Public License.

Synopsis

The AMQP Specification contains as part of its materials an XML file. This XML file is intended to help implementers create implementations - it can be read by a computer and used to generate program code or otherwise assist an implementation at runtime. Such an implementation is a derived work of AMQP Licensed material.

The AMQP License contains provisions to encourage the use of the XML file in this way and redistribution of the files in question by those who accept the terms of the AMQP License.

Whilst this has been a broadly successful strategy to date, it has come to our attention that certain commercially significant Open Source software distributions take the view that the AMQP License contains too many restrictions for products directly derived from it to become part of the distribution. The products in question include Debian and the related Ubuntu.

It is in the commercial interests of at least two Members of the AMQP Working Group to be able to have their product shipped in these distributions. We want to help these members by allowing them to use an alternative minimal XML file with no narrative that is capable of supporting computer tooling but, critically, is incapable of providing a route for others to change the meaning of the specification. This minimal XML will be suitable for distribution by those distributors unable to accept the terms of, and the benefits afforded by the AMQP License.

We would note that:

• This new file is not strictly necessary to create an acceptable product for Debian/Ubuntu
• Providing such a file will reduce the implementation costs for our members

Therefore we propose the resolution.

Supporting Material

This vote is subject to favourable legal advice.
Microsoft and Progress have graciously volunteered to seek such advice on behalf of the group.
No other supporting materials.

BSD License

Copyright (c) 2009 AMQP Working Group.
All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
are met:
1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
3. The name of the author may not be used to endorse or promote products
derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF
THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Voting Record:

Qualification

Metadata