Closed Bug 712991 Opened 12 years ago Closed 12 years ago

GPLed code in mozilla-central: NtpMessage.java

Categories

(mozilla.org :: Licensing, task)

task
Not set
normal

Tracking

(Not tracked)

RESOLVED FIXED

People

(Reporter: gerv, Assigned: cmtalbert)

Details

Attachments

(1 file, 1 obsolete file)

9 months ago, the checkin of attachment 526111 [details] [diff] [review] on bug 650110 imported the file NtpMessage.java into the tree, which is licensed solely under the GPL.
http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/build/mobile/sutagent/android/NtpMessage.java

This is potentially problematic, depending on what the code is used for and where it ends up.

Bob, Clint: can you tell us what this file is used for, and if the resulting compiled code ships with Firefox Mobile, or any other product, or whether it's part of a test framework or something?

The obvious initial thing to do would be to contact the original author and ask them for alternative licensing terms; but let's get a bit more clarity here first. :-)

Gerv
Oops.  I missed this one.  This does *not* ship with any version of firefox mobile (xul or native) and is only built as part of the android testing framework so that we can (optionally) force them to get their time settings from an NTP server. I don't think we actually are using this code in production these days and we could probably remove it if you want.
ctalbert: just to be absolutely clear: I can remove this file (only) from source control and you are telling me it won't break anything important?

Gerv
It's not quite that easy. If we modify the agent code to longer support ntp for setting the time on the test boards for android, then you can remove the file. If you just remove it, I believe that the build itself with break since the makefile is expecting to build with it and linkage should also fail since it is no longer present. I have not verified this, but the change to do this properly is fairly small and well contained. Since this is not something we ship, is this a big problem?
The presence of the file with that licence is confusing; and if someone revives this code later, they will be violating the GPL licence of NtpMessage.java by combining it with non-GPLed code. So I think it's wise to figure out a way to remove it from source control - or ask Adam Buckley for relicensing permission.

If the change to remove it is small and well-contained, I would appreciate it if someone took the time to make it.

Gerv
This removes the NTP functionality from the agent. I looked through the build/tools/sut_tools and it wasn't used.  We might revisit this idea in the future, but for now, we can just remove it.
Assignee: gerv → ctalbert
Status: NEW → ASSIGNED
Attachment #590823 - Flags: review?(bmoss)
After making these changes I realized that there was a recent change to watcher not included in the m-c source.  Made that change (in addition to the NTPMessage removal) and bumped version.  This should be the final patch.
Attachment #590823 - Attachment is obsolete: true
Attachment #590823 - Flags: review?(bmoss)
Attachment #590844 - Flags: review?(bmoss)
Comment on attachment 590844 [details] [diff] [review]
And now with latest code for watcher too

Review of attachment 590844 [details] [diff] [review]:
-----------------------------------------------------------------

These look good
Attachment #590844 - Flags: review?(bmoss) → review+
https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/4724da9165c2
Status: ASSIGNED → RESOLVED
Closed: 12 years ago
Resolution: --- → FIXED
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