Re: [CORE] GPL Source and Copyright Questions

Tom Lane wrote:
> [ redirecting to -hackers, as I see no need for this to be a core issue ]
>
> Charles Comiskey <comiskey(at)us(dot)ibm(dot)com> writes:
> > Hello,
> > I've recently looked through the PostgreSQL code and a couple of questions
> > surfaced. I was hoping someone here may be able to answer them. Two have
> > links to possible GPL sources and the third is just a contribution
> > question.
>
> > item #1: Does the geo_ops.c file contain GPL code?
> > Embedded within the geo_ops.c file is a John Franks copyright statement
> > referring to wn/image.c file from WN Server 1.15.1. WN Server appears to
> > have been under the GPL license since 0.94 and continues to be offered
> > under the GPL license today. John's letter to Linux Journal seems to only
> > point the user to his WN Server distribution vs granting any specific
> > license.

The comment is:

/* poly_contain_pt()
* Test to see if the point is inside the polygon.
* Code adapted from integer-based routines in
* Wn: A Server for the HTTP
* File: wn/image.c
* Version 1.15.1
* Copyright (C) 1995 <by John Franks>
* (code offered for use by J. Franks in Linux Journal letter.)
*/

That term "adapted from" isn't something Thomas would idly type, I
think. I bet it means he looked at John Franks' code and used it as a
base for our code. I am not concerned.

> > Questions:
> > 1) Is any John Franks code really in this file?
> > 2) Did John provide a separate license for PostgreSQL to license it under
> > the BSD license?
>
> This code seems to have been inserted by Tom Lockhart on 1997-07-29
> (geo_ops.c rev 1.13). Tom, any info on the copyright status?
>
> > References:
> > - 1994 e-mail with GPL reference to WN Server v0.94:
> > http://1997.webhistory.org/www.lists/www-talk.1994q4/1080.html
> > - 1995 e-mail from John with GPL license text reference:
> > http://1997.webhistory.org/www.lists/www-talk.1995q1/0482.html
> > - WN Server url today: http://hopf.math.northwestern.edu/
> > - Link to Linux Journal article: http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/2197
>
>
> > item #2: Is dllinit.c GPL code?
> > The file dllinit.c, located in the src/utils directory documents the
> > author as Mumit Khan. Did Mumit Khan contribute this code and did he
> > contribute it for distribution under the PostgreSQL license? If I read
> > correctly, the name stamp in CVS does not indicate that Mumit Khan
> > directly contributed this file. I ask because this question has surfaced
> > as a forum item for a different project and Mumit Khan directly answered
> > their forum posting (http://curl.haxx.se/mail/lib-2002-11/0061.html).
>
> Per the comments in that thread, it would be pretty trivial to either
> rewrite or remove this file. I don't think there is anything there that
> amounts to protectable content (and Mumit evidently agrees, see link)
> but let's do something about it anyway. Can some of the Windows folk
> check whether we can just remove it?

File removed.

> > item #3: Carsten Wolff copyright in informix.c file
> > The file informix.c contains a copyright from Carsten Wolff. Did Carsten
> > directly contribute this file to the PostgreSQL project?
>
> This code was added by Michael Meskes in informix.c rev 1.6
> (2003-05-06). Michael, any info on the exact copyright status?

Fixed to remove copyright.

--
Bruce Momjian bruce(at)momjian(dot)us
EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com

+ If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +