spf-discuss
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Re: Sender ID (was Re: [spf-discuss] nobody @ xyzzy)

2006-02-22 09:39:39
The license is GPL incompatible.  Many of the free competitors to Exchange 
are GPL licensed.  During MARID, the MS reps promised license terms that 
would enable everyone to use Sender ID.  They did not, for whatever reason, 
deliver on that promise.

You are correct that the license terms are liberal, but they are still not 
GPL compatible.

As far as mandating changes from existing standards, that's not just my 
opininion, it's also the IESG's.

I think that what we are both saying is correct, but from a different 
perspective.  I will add that Yahoo managed to go further with their DKIM 
license.

Probably best that we agree to disagree, but after reviewing my previous 
posting I stand by it.

Scott K
...... Original Message .......
On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 11:09:18 -0500 "Dick St.Peters" 
<stpeters(_at_)NetHeaven(_dot_)com> wrote:
Scott Kitterman writes:

Just to amplify, Sender ID is a proprietary attempt to mandate behavior 
that no internet RFC requires.  

I don't think you'll find many (if any) on this list that care to 
redesign 
mailing lists to support Microsoft's patented attempt to block free 
software.  Just for comparison's sake, look at the licensing terms Yahoo 
is 
using for DKIM.

I've been a free-software guy for decades and don't like Microsoft
very much, but I think it's important to stick to the truth.  In this
case the truth is very different from Scott's characterization.
Microsoft's license is
       - free
       - perpetual
       - worldwide
It allows you to 
       - make
       - use
       - import
       - offer to sell
       - sell
       - distribute, directly and indirectly, to end users
binary object code implementations, and it allows you to
       - distribute
       - otherwise disclose
the source code, provided that
       - source code you distribute includes Microsoft's patent notice
       - you grant a reciprocal license for your Sender-ID
         implementation(s) to
           + Microsoft
           + All other Sender-ID licensees

It explicitly allows anyone to *use* Sender-ID without a exectuting a
license agreement.

As for Scott's claim that Microsoft is attempting to mandate behavior,
the license says
   
   Nothing in this Agreement shall be consatrued as requiring You to
   use or implement the Sender ID Specification, or limit the Parties
   from competing in any way ... including engaging in activities,
   independently or with others, that may be deemed competitive with
   the Sender ID Specification."

I don't like software patents, but this is about as benign as a
license can be.  The license terms have been the same since November
2004, and it's high time misinformation stopped being spread.

--
Dick St.Peters, stpeters(_at_)NetHeaven(_dot_)com 

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