[Fedora-legal-list] Old Sun RPC license - what is it?

[Richard W.M. Jones]

In PortableXDR [0] we have used some old (1988) Sun RPC code which has
the license text below.  The question arose during review for
inclusion in Fedora[1] what this license is, and whether it can be
included in Fedora.

Note that this code has been extensively used and modified all over
the place, so if this license isn't free, and if Sun didn't relicense
it since 1988, then we may have a problem.

For example, glibc:
http://sourceware.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb.cgi/libc/sunrpc/xdr.c?rev=1.28&content-type=text/x-cvsweb-markup&cvsroot=glibc

also in FreeBSD:
http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/src/lib/libc/xdr/xdr.c?rev=1.15

Suggestions?

Rich.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
 * Sun RPC is a product of Sun Microsystems, Inc. and is provided for
 * unrestricted use provided that this legend is included on all tape
 * media and as a part of the software program in whole or part.  Users
 * may copy or modify Sun RPC without charge, but are not authorized
 * to license or distribute it to anyone else except as part of a product or
 * program developed by the user.
 * 
 * SUN RPC IS PROVIDED AS IS WITH NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND INCLUDING THE
 * WARRANTIES OF DESIGN, MERCHANTIBILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
 * PURPOSE, OR ARISING FROM A COURSE OF DEALING, USAGE OR TRADE PRACTICE.
 * 
 * Sun RPC is provided with no support and without any obligation on the
 * part of Sun Microsystems, Inc. to assist in its use, correction,
 * modification or enhancement.
 * 
 * SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE
 * INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHTS, TRADE SECRETS OR ANY PATENTS BY SUN RPC
 * OR ANY PART THEREOF.
 * 
 * In no event will Sun Microsystems, Inc. be liable for any lost revenue
 * or profits or other special, indirect and consequential damages, even if
 * Sun has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
 * 
 * Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 * 2550 Garcia Avenue
 * Mountain View, California  94043
----------------------------------------------------------------------

[0] http://et.redhat.com/~rjones/portablexdr/
[1] https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=467324

-- 
Richard Jones, Emerging Technologies, Red Hat  http://et.redhat.com/~rjones
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