[PD-dev] License restriction of CNMAT OSC code

[Frank Barknecht]

Hallo,

I'm one of the maintainers of the Pure Data CVS at Sourceforge
(pure-data.sf.net). The repository also includes an OSC external for
Pd which is based on the CNMAT example code in:
http://cnmat.cnmat.berkeley.edu/OpenSoundControl/src/ although an
older version. 

Recently it was brought to our attention, that much of the the code on
the CNMAT OSC site - contrary to the text on the OSC homepage - is
*not* distributed under an open source license, but instead restricts
use to "educational, research, and not-for-profit purposes". Any other
use, for example distribution of the source code on Linux distribution
CDs or whatever, is prohibited by the OSC code license. 

Now, as the OSC code doesn't come with a README including the license,
but instead requires users to read the source code to find out about
the "non-free"-ness and the usage restrictions, we made the mistake of
including the OSC for Pd code in the Sourceforge CVS.  (Mistake,
because Sourceforge requires an open source license for hosted
projects.)

As OSC is a very useful protocol (who am I telling this) we would
still like to maintain a somehow Max-compatible set of OSC externals
for Pd. But the license of the upstream code now forces us to either
a) reimplement the protocol as real open source externals, probably
using Steve's GPL'd liblo or b) wait for a change of the upstream
code's license, which would of course spare us a lot of work. 

Now my question is: Will the OSC code in above URL get an open source
compatible license in the forseeable future? 

Thank you for your help.

Ciao
-- 
 Frank Barknecht                               _ ______footils.org__