[netcdfgroup] Debian concerns about past NetCDF license in HDF4

Hello there, NetCDF and HDF groups.

I'm one of the current maintainers of HDF4/5 stuff in Debian GNU/Linux.

We in Debian project (as many of you probably already know) are extremely
concerned about licensing and recently our ftpmasters found that
the NetCDF COPYRIGHT included in the HDF4 recent source (4.2r3)
includes the known old BSD-like 'advertising clause' which is
not GPL-compatible. Recent sources of NetCDF relaxed that
condition, but the orginal source used by HDF4 team to derive
NetCDF support in HDF4 does not.

My idea is that an official statement by NetCDF group 
to retroactively relicense the old stuff would help in order to 
manage the license issue we found.

A signed email by both parties would be great for instance,
so that next HDF4 release could be updated.


Thanks for your attention.



Old license included in HDF4
----------------------------

Copyright 1993 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research/Unidata

Portions of this software were developed by the Unidata Program at the
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.

Access and use of this software shall impose the following obligations
and understandings on the user. The user is granted the right, without
any fee or cost, to use, copy, modify, alter, enhance and distribute
this software, and any derivative works thereof, and its supporting
documentation for any purpose whatsoever, provided that this entire
notice appears in all copies of the software, derivative works and
supporting documentation.  Further, the user agrees to credit
UCAR/Unidata in any publications that result from the use of this
software or in any product that includes this software. The names UCAR
and/or Unidata, however, may not be used in any advertising or publicity
to endorse or promote any products or commercial entity unless specific
written permission is obtained from UCAR/Unidata. The user also
understands that UCAR/Unidata is not obligated to provide the user with
any support, consulting, training or assistance of any kind with regard
to the use, operation and performance of this software nor to provide
the user with any updates, revisions, new versions or "bug fixes."

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY UCAR/UNIDATA "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL UCAR/UNIDATA BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL,
INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING
FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT,
NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTUOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
WITH THE ACCESS, USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.


Current license for NetCDF:
---------------------------

Copyright 1993-2004 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research/Unidata

Portions of this software were developed by the Unidata Program at the
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.

Access and use of this software shall impose the following obligations
and understandings on the user. The user is granted the right, without
any fee or cost, to use, copy, modify, alter, enhance and distribute
this software, and any derivative works thereof, and its supporting
documentation for any purpose whatsoever, provided that this entire
notice appears in all copies of the software, derivative works and
supporting documentation.  Further, UCAR requests that the user credit
UCAR/Unidata in any publications that result from the use of this
software or in any product that includes this software, ALTHOUGH THIS
IS NOT AN OBLIGATION. The names UCAR and/or Unidata, however, may not
be used in any advertising or publicity to endorse or promote any
products or commercial entity unless specific written permission is
obtained from UCAR/Unidata. The user also understands that
UCAR/Unidata is not obligated to provide the user with any support,
consulting, training or assistance of any kind with regard to the use,
operation and performance of this software nor to provide the user
with any updates, revisions, new versions or "bug fixes."

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY UCAR/UNIDATA "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL UCAR/UNIDATA BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL,
INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING
FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT,
NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
WITH THE ACCESS, USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.



---------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTE: the non obligation is the fundamental point in the new license. 






-- 
Francesco P. Lovergine

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