On February 23, 2007 9:46:21 AM +0100 Alan DeKok <aland@deployingradius.com> wrote:
devquest@hushmail.com wrote:
(*) Can this be legally done?
There are restrictions, but yes. The module MUST be licensed under the GPL, as it is a derivative work of FreeRADIUS. At that point, you might as well submit the module to us for inclusion in the main release.
Is a FR module a derivative work or just a "user" of FR in the sense that FR is a framework for such modules?
(*) If the above rlm_ module depends on some external SDKs (unrelated to FreeRadius) and its source is contributed to FreeRadius, does the source to the SDK need to be contributed as well?
Not necessarily. For example, the FreeRADIUS modules depend on libc, which is proprietary in many OS's. If the libraries needed by a module are normally part of the OS, then the source does not have to be contributed back. If, however, the libraries are not part of the OS, but are part of the application you're selling along with FreeRADIUS, then you have a choice:
a) distribute the source to the libraries, too. Likely under the GPL b) do not distribute FreeRADIUS or the module you're adding.
c) be sole copyright holder of the new module and don't worry about the libraries. FR links to openssl, I don't hear anyone complaining. -frank