Updating Genode's license to AGPLv3 + open-source linking clause

[Jookia]

On Thu, Dec 15, 2016 at 11:39:39AM +0100, Norman Feske wrote:
> Hello Jookia,

> Admittedly, I don't completely understand the question. Neither AGPLv3
> nor our linking exception mention IPC. The use of IPC is unrelated to
> licensing.
>
> Let me still try to comment on it: If a custom component uses Genode's
> IPC mechanism, it is naturally linked against Genode's base libraries
> and uses Genode's API headers (otherwise, it could not invoke the IPC in
> the first place). Consequently, when distributing the binary of such a
> component to a user or providing the component's functionality as a web
> service to a user, the AGPLv3 requires one to also provide the source
> code of Genode and the custom source code. Thanks to our exception
> clause, the latter does not need to be licensed under AGPLv3 (the custom
> code is not "infected" by the Genode's license). Any "approved"
> open-source license is fine.

I see. How does proprietary userspace code work then?

> Could I help to dissolve the "sketchiness" you observed?

Many projects have used the idea of glue code as a way to link proprietary and
free software together as a way 'around' the GPL, and this sounds a bit like the
same thing. It's questionable if it works though.

> Cheers
> Norman