Mono apps in extras

[Thorsten Leemhuis]

Am Dienstag, den 24.01.2006, 12:03 +0100 schrieb Ralf Corsepius:
> On Tue, 2006-01-24 at 11:43 +0100, Thorsten Leemhuis wrote:
> > Hi!
> > 
> > Am Dienstag, den 24.01.2006, 10:22 +0000 schrieb Paul F. Johnson:
> > >[...]
> 
> > I only set a deadline for yesterday to allow people to hand in a
> > "fedora-extras should forbid mono packages in extras" proposal. Nothing
> > showed up so there is nothing to discuss for FESCo afaics (the FESCo
> > members were all quiet, too).
> > 
> > So it seems the old rule applies: If it's allowed in Core it's also fine
> > for Extras. 
> Grumble, once more:
> 
> According to RH until recently, mono/C#/.net are subject to potential
> patent claims.

Yes, until recently.

> Some weeks ago, RH pushed Mono etc. in FC - I repeatedly had asked to
> explain (Last time on a PM to YOU in person, yesterday), to elaborate
> what made RH to consider their former claim to be invalid.
> 
> No response, so far.

"Business considerations that prevented certain Mono components from
being included in Fedora previously have now been resolved."

I (as most other people outside of the Fedora Foundation or Red Hat)
don't know more details. 

> > > over allowing mono apps into FE? I don't want
> > > to waste my time packaging for FE with mono if they're not allowed in.
> 
> As FE packager, you have signed the CLA. As part of such you have signed
> a paragraph on potential patent infringements. It's up to you to draw
> conclusions of your own. 
>
> Mine is: I will not approve any package which uses Mono/C#/.NET, because
> I don't know what about the legal situation has changed. I will continue
> to consider all such works to be too risky for me to be wanting to be
> involved into packing them and to avoid users to be exposed to legal
> risks.

Okay. Then don't package apps based on Mono/C#/.NET. 

> I am willing to reconsider this opinion, should some RH or FESCO
> spokesperson be able to elaborate the legal situation of Mono etc.

I can't give more details because I don't know more. But I'm willing to
trust Red Hat here -- they allowed it for Core and I see no reason why
we should forbid it in Extras. That would look quite odd anyway...  

CU
thl