Hi!
Every time a forum (e.g. right now at heise.de's) begins discussing
SenderID the problem with the license comes up, and that it is not
GPL-compatible (i.e. one cannot implement the patented SenderID idea in a
GPL'ed software).
In Microsoft's SenderID page they refer to the same license they wrote for
CallerID. While at the first glance it seems very unrestrictive,
several open-source sites and experts appeared right after the
announcement of CallerID, stating it was "not compatible with GPL" (e.g.
http://www.newsforge.com/software/04/02/26/1448253.shtml).
Last month, Meng came to the list asking for input about how the license
should look like, and many promptly shared their ideas, all of them agreed
that it should somehow be compatible to all major open source licenses
(i.e. one should be able to implement SenderID in a GPL software and keep
it GPLed). Which is obvious, since none of the four major MTAs will change
license just to implement this stuff.
What I now miss is a clear statement from Microsoft and/or Meng about this
issue to stop the confusion and help the "SPF-evangelists" to have a
strong and founded statement when someone brings this argument up (and
avoid all the FUD around it...). Even if the license is not yet finished,
it should be clear that we are handling this issue. Pointing to the old
CallerID license just spreads the FUD, as noone was able to prove its
really GPL-compatible.
Cheers,
Ernesto