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

[Norman Feske]

Hi Vasily,

>> 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.
> 
> Through magic wrapper, as usual, when one does not want to share
> sources but should link with open source library.

I am afraid this is a misconception. Thank you for this remark, so I can
rectify it.

Genode's open-source license is (and always has been) fundamentally
incompatible with proprietary software. This is on purpose.

The switch to AGPLv3 does not change that. Also note that the linking
exception that I presented does deliberately not cover proprietary
software but is restricted to open-source software.

For using Genode for proprietary purposes, a commercial license can be
obtained from Genode Labs. By purchasing such a license, vendors of
proprietary products contribute to Genode (and thereby the open-source
community), not by the means of code but by the means of funding.

> @Norman: I think many of us are needed in something like decision
> tree with examples, what and how we should do with source code, how
> to wrap own code in accordance with the license.

If by "your own" code you mean proprietary code, the only plausible
approach to combine it with Genode without a commercial license is
stuffing your code into a virtual machine. The (virtual) machine
interface is an universally accepted license boundary.

Best regards
Norman

-- 
Dr.-Ing. Norman Feske
Genode Labs

http://www.genode-labs.com · http://genode.org

Genode Labs GmbH · Amtsgericht Dresden · HRB 28424 · Sitz Dresden
Geschäftsführer: Dr.-Ing. Norman Feske, Christian Helmuth