License, freetype

Community matplotlib-users
1

Hi, All,

I just went to install matplotlib version 2.0.0, and it has a dependency called “freetype”. This software appears to be licensed under GPL3. My reading of that latter license is that, if someone wanted to distribute a compiled version of a program requiring matplotlib, that entire program would fall under the GPL3 license. I’m sure that would be a non-starter for many, many projects.

Does anyone have any takes on this?

Chad

2

Chad,

My recollections is that matplotlib doesn’t distribute the source code to FreeType, it only uses it as a dependency. As such, MPL is in the clear with its more permissive licensing.

-Paul

···

On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 12:45 PM, CAB <cabraut@…9…> wrote:

Hi, All,

I just went to install matplotlib version 2.0.0, and it has a dependency called “freetype”. This software appears to be licensed under GPL3. My reading of that latter license is that, if someone wanted to distribute a compiled version of a program requiring matplotlib, that entire program would fall under the GPL3 license. I’m sure that would be a non-starter for many, many projects.

Does anyone have any takes on this?

Chad

Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world’s most

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3

Well, if Freetype were only distributed under the GPL, you couldn’t distribute matplotlib in binary form without providing the source code.

However, Freetype is distributed under more than one license. (see: https://www.freetype.org/license.html )

Because
it’s distributed under a BSD-style license in addition to the GPL, it can be distributed in binary form, subject to an accreditation clause: http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/freetype/freetype2.git/tree/docs/FTL.TXT

In the past, I have gotten approval from corporate lawyers at a very large company to use freetype (and matplotlib) in an application that was being distributed in binary form. The dual-licensing of freetype was key in that particular case.

Or
that’s my take on it, anyway. I’m not a Lawyer, so don’t consider this
legal advice in any way.

Cheers!

-Joe

···

On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 4:52 PM, Paul Hobson <pmhobson@…287…> wrote:

Chad,

My recollections is that matplotlib doesn’t distribute the source code to FreeType, it only uses it as a dependency. As such, MPL is in the clear with its more permissive licensing.

-Paul

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engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot

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On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 12:45 PM, CAB <cabraut@…9…> wrote:

Hi, All,

I just went to install matplotlib version 2.0.0, and it has a dependency called “freetype”. This software appears to be licensed under GPL3. My reading of that latter license is that, if someone wanted to distribute a compiled version of a program requiring matplotlib, that entire program would fall under the GPL3 license. I’m sure that would be a non-starter for many, many projects.

Does anyone have any takes on this?

Chad

Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world’s most

engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot

Matplotlib-users mailing list

Matplotlib-users@…712…orge.net

https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-users

4

Hi, Gents,

Many thanks for your thoughtful responses! Freetype is indeed available under a BSD-like licensse. But when I tried to install freetype on my Windows system using the binary provided from GnuWin32, it attempts to force me to accept the GPL3, which I cannot. Freetype’s link to another binary supplied by GTK+ is broken. So, I guess I have two choices; compile freetype from the source, or download something like Anaconda, which I’d rather not do because I have Python already installed.

If you have any other ideas, I’d be happy to hear them.

Best,

Chad

···

From: Joe Kington <joferkington@…83…287…>
To: Paul Hobson <pmhobson@…287…>
Cc: CAB <cabraut@…9…>; Matplotlib Development List matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net; Matplotlib Users matplotlib-users@lists.sourceforge.net
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2017 5:03 PM
Subject: Re: [matplotlib-devel] [Matplotlib-users] License, freetype

Well, if Freetype were only distributed under the GPL, you couldn’t distribute matplotlib in binary form without providing the source code.

However, Freetype is distributed under more than one license. (see: https://www.freetype.org/license.html )

Because
it’s distributed under a BSD-style license in addition to the GPL, it can be distributed in binary form, subject to an accreditation clause: http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/freetype/freetype2.git/tree/docs/FTL.TXT

In the past, I have gotten approval from corporate lawyers at a very large company to use freetype (and matplotlib) in an application that was being distributed in binary form. The dual-licensing of freetype was key in that particular case.

Or
that’s my take on it, anyway. I’m not a Lawyer, so don’t consider this
legal advice in any way.

Cheers!

-Joe

On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 4:52 PM, Paul Hobson <pmhobson@…287…> wrote:

Chad,

My recollections is that matplotlib doesn’t distribute the source code to FreeType, it only uses it as a dependency. As such, MPL is in the clear with its more permissive licensing.

-Paul

On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 12:45 PM, CAB <cabraut@…1762…> wrote:

Hi, All,

I just went to install matplotlib version 2.0.0, and it has a dependency called “freetype”. This software appears to be licensed under GPL3. My reading of that latter license is that, if someone wanted to distribute a compiled version of a program requiring matplotlib, that entire program would fall under the GPL3 license. I’m sure that would be a non-starter for many, many projects.

Does anyone have any takes on this?

Chad

Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world’s most

engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot

Matplotlib-users mailing list

Matplotlib-users@…712… orge.net

https://lists.sourceforge.net/ lists/listinfo/matplotlib-user s

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engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot

Matplotlib-devel mailing list

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https://lists.sourceforge.net/ lists/listinfo/matplotlib- devel

5

Especially on Windows, I always install freetype from conda.
-p

···

On Sat, Feb 18, 2017 at 6:24 AM, CAB <cabraut@…9…> wrote:

Hi, Gents,

Many thanks for your thoughtful responses! Freetype is indeed available under a BSD-like licensse. But when I tried to install freetype on my Windows system using the binary provided from GnuWin32, it attempts to force me to accept the GPL3, which I cannot. Freetype’s link to another binary supplied by GTK+ is broken. So, I guess I have two choices; compile freetype from the source, or download something like Anaconda, which I’d rather not do because I have Python already installed.

If you have any other ideas, I’d be happy to hear them.

Best,

Chad

From: Joe Kington <joferkington@…287…>
To: Paul Hobson <pmhobson@…287…>
Cc: CAB <cabraut@…9…>; Matplotlib Development List <matplotlib-devel@…1735…sourceforge.net>; Matplotlib Users <matplotlib-users@…1735…sourceforge.net>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2017 5:03 PM
Subject: Re: [matplotlib-devel] [Matplotlib-users] License, freetype

Well, if Freetype were only distributed under the GPL, you couldn’t distribute matplotlib in binary form without providing the source code.

However, Freetype is distributed under more than one license. (see: https://www.freetype.org/license.html )

Because
it’s distributed under a BSD-style license in addition to the GPL, it can be distributed in binary form, subject to an accreditation clause: http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/freetype/freetype2.git/tree/docs/FTL.TXT

In the past, I have gotten approval from corporate lawyers at a very large company to use freetype (and matplotlib) in an application that was being distributed in binary form. The dual-licensing of freetype was key in that particular case.

Or
that’s my take on it, anyway. I’m not a Lawyer, so don’t consider this
legal advice in any way.

Cheers!

-Joe

On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 4:52 PM, Paul Hobson <pmhobson@…287…> wrote:

Chad,

My recollections is that matplotlib doesn’t distribute the source code to FreeType, it only uses it as a dependency. As such, MPL is in the clear with its more permissive licensing.

-Paul

On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 12:45 PM, CAB <cabraut@…9…> wrote:

Hi, All,

I just went to install matplotlib version 2.0.0, and it has a dependency called “freetype”. This software appears to be licensed under GPL3. My reading of that latter license is that, if someone wanted to distribute a compiled version of a program requiring matplotlib, that entire program would fall under the GPL3 license. I’m sure that would be a non-starter for many, many projects.

Does anyone have any takes on this?

Chad

Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world’s most

engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot

Matplotlib-users mailing list

Matplotlib-users@…712… orge.net

https://lists.sourceforge.net/ lists/listinfo/matplotlib-user s

Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world’s most

engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot

Matplotlib-devel mailing list

Matplotlib-devel@…1735… sourceforge.net

https://lists.sourceforge.net/ lists/listinfo/matplotlib- devel

6

I usually install the matplotlib binaries from pipy and I don't
remember doing a separate installation of freetype.

2017-02-18 17:20 GMT+01:00 Paul Hobson <pmhobson@...287...>:

···

Especially on Windows, I always install freetype from conda.
-p

On Sat, Feb 18, 2017 at 6:24 AM, CAB <cabraut@...9...> wrote:

Hi, Gents,

Many thanks for your thoughtful responses! Freetype is indeed available
under a BSD-like licensse. But when I tried to install freetype on my
Windows system using the binary provided from GnuWin32, it attempts to force
me to accept the GPL3, which I cannot. Freetype's link to another binary
supplied by GTK+ is broken. So, I guess I have two choices; compile
freetype from the source, or download something like Anaconda, which I'd
rather not do because I have Python already installed.

If you have any other ideas, I'd be happy to hear them.

Best,
Chad

________________________________
From: Joe Kington <joferkington@...287...>
To: Paul Hobson <pmhobson@...287...>
Cc: CAB <cabraut@...9...>; Matplotlib Development List
<matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net>; Matplotlib Users
<matplotlib-users@lists.sourceforge.net>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2017 5:03 PM
Subject: Re: [matplotlib-devel] [Matplotlib-users] License, freetype

Well, if Freetype were only distributed under the GPL, you couldn't
distribute matplotlib in binary form without providing the source code.

However, Freetype is distributed under more than one license. (see:
FreeType Licenses )

Because it's distributed under a BSD-style license in addition to the GPL,
it can be distributed in binary form, subject to an accreditation clause:
FTL.TXT\docs - freetype/freetype2.git - The FreeType 2 library

In the past, I have gotten approval from corporate lawyers at a very large
company to use freetype (and matplotlib) in an application that was being
distributed in binary form. The dual-licensing of freetype was key in that
particular case.

Or that's my take on it, anyway. I'm not a Lawyer, so don't consider this
legal advice in any way.
Cheers!
-Joe

On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 4:52 PM, Paul Hobson <pmhobson@...287...> wrote:

Chad,

My recollections is that matplotlib doesn't distribute the source code to
FreeType, it only uses it as a dependency. As such, MPL is in the clear with
its more permissive licensing.
-Paul

On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 12:45 PM, CAB <cabraut@...9...> wrote:

Hi, All,

I just went to install matplotlib version 2.0.0, and it has a dependency
called "freetype". This software appears to be licensed under GPL3. My
reading of that latter license is that, if someone wanted to distribute a
compiled version of a program requiring matplotlib, that entire program
would fall under the GPL3 license. I'm sure that would be a non-starter for
many, many projects.

Does anyone have any takes on this?

Chad

------------------------------ ------------------------------
------------------
Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most
engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot
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Matplotlib-users@...712... orge.net
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------------------------------ ------------------------------
------------------
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engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot

______________________________ _________________
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