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Web pages in SL and the Firefox license
Essence Lumin
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Join date: 24 Oct 2003
Posts: 806
06-25-2005 10:09
I read James Linden's Q/A session about bringing web pages into SL. The first thought that came to my mind, is if the pages are delivered from the server doesn't that bring up issues of anonymous web browsing and if it is from the client aren't there gpl style issues about having to open source the client?

It will be from the client according to James's talk. So curiosity had me looking at the Firefox license. It is not gpl which would be a problem for LL. The way I read it, you can link to the Firefox libraries without opening your source code. If you change any Firefox source code you have to release that source. LL probably doesn't need to alter the Firefox source so they are in the clear.

Anyway, I thought the use of Firefox and open source by LL was interesting so there ya go.
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Csven Concord
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Join date: 19 Mar 2005
Posts: 1,015
06-25-2005 11:45
ref: http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/license-policy.html (bottom of page)

Not sure I follow. Server-side pages aren't happening as you've noted. Non-issue. And since LL is actively talking with Mozilla.org, one would think that the licensing issue has been already addressed; hard to imagine LL wasting their dev time first and then finding out if they can use the code. Besides, from a quick scan of the above link, it appears as if the Mozilla source LL is using (not the "Firefox source code";) is governed by what seem to be several possible license schemes... including the GPL. How do you conclude the GPL is not in play?
Essence Lumin
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Join date: 24 Oct 2003
Posts: 806
06-25-2005 13:29
From: Csven Concord
ref: http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/license-policy.html (bottom of page)

Not sure I follow. Server-side pages aren't happening as you've noted. Non-issue. And since LL is actively talking with Mozilla.org, one would think that the licensing issue has been already addressed; hard to imagine LL wasting their dev time first and then finding out if they can use the code. Besides, from a quick scan of the above link, it appears as if the Mozilla source LL is using (not the "Firefox source code";) is governed by what seem to be several possible license schemes... including the GPL. How do you conclude the GPL is not in play?


Yes Mozilla source, I stand corrected.

I was mainly thinking of this paragraph from the MPL faq ( http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/mpl-faq.html )

From: someone

How 'viral' is the MPL? If I use MPLed code in my proprietary application, will I have to give all the source code away?

The MPL has a limited amount of 'copyleft' - more copyleft than the BSD family of licenses, which have no copyleft at all, but less than the LGPL or the GPL. It is based around the definition of a 'Modification' in the license [1.9].

What is a Modification? Any changes to MPLed files, or new files into which MPLed code has been copied, are Modifications and so fall under the MPL. New files containing only your code are not Modifications, and not covered by the MPL.


If LL used the GPL they would have to release the client source. They have stated that is a goal but not for some time. Using the MPL it appears they don't have to.
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Farewell.