MathParser.org-mXparser v5.0 and later is not FOSS

[licaon-kter]

ref: https://github.com/mariuszgromada/MathParser.org-mXparser/blob/v.5.0.0/LICENSE.txt

ref: https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/-/issues/3141

ref: https://github.com/Yet-Zio/yetCalc/blob/1.0.4/app/build.gradle#L50

/LE: this means that at the moment no app version can be included in F-Droid

[Yet-Zio]

Doesn't mXparser use a dual license model? It is non free for commercial products or softwares. But since yetCalc is foss, it comes under the non commercial use and terms which is as far I know free and the author did not have issues with it as well.

I do not know whether this dual license model itself violates fdroid's terms and if it does then I can do nothing either as the calculator component as a whole depends on that library.

[licaon-kter]

Afaik, when you add extra terms you invalidate the foss license.

[licaon-kter]

And more so, can you point out which FOSS (OSI and/or FSF) license is used exactly? https://spdx.org/licenses/

[Yet-Zio]

I think the non commercial one uses or is similar to the BSD 2-Clause "Simplified" License.

[licaon-kter]

Similar indeed, but... adds its incompatible rules on top :(

[licaon-kter]

fyi :( https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/-/commit/663b241ba4c5899675969ea60c1f402bd92fa7d3

[linsui]

The license is not very clear but looks not compatible with FOSS.

NON-COMMERCIAL USE means any use or activity where a fee is not charged and the purpose is not the sale of a good or service, and the use or activity is not intended to produce a profit. NON-COMMERCIAL USE examples:

1. Free Open-Source Software ("FOSS").
2. Non-commercial use in research, scholarly and education.

Dual license is allowed but one of the license should be a FOSS license.

[opk12]

(comment moved to https://github.com/mariuszgromada/MathParser.org-mXparser/issues/314)

[opk12]

Confirmation from the lib owner from ticket 314 "Non-commercial license is non-FOSS"

This license is not a FOSS license, it allows the library to be used in FOSS as long as it is for non-commercial use.

These conditions were introduced less than two years ago. Versions of the library that were available before were based on BSD and can still be used.

[mariuszgromada]

Hello. mXparser can be used free of charge by any software that is not intended to make money. If yetCalc is made available for free, i.e. its author/distributor does not earn money from this application, it can use mXparser without restrictions.

[linsui]

Hi @mariuszgromada , the problem is that the license of mXparser is not a FOSS license. Though yetCalc can use it without restrictions, F-Droid requires that all libs used by an app in it must be FOSS. yetCalc can use your lib but we can't include it in F-Droid.

[mariuszgromada]

@opk12 @linsui @licaon-kter Unfortunately I can't make my license FOSS because then I allow unrestricted commercial use for everyone. For example, I can make an exception for yetCalc so that this application can be available in F-Droid, because yetCalc is non-commercial. However, I have no idea how it should be done. I can, for example, offer you a commercial license for free, but I don't know if it will help. Please contact me using info@mathparser.org

[licaon-kter]

@Yet-Zio fyi https://github.com/sal0max/currencies/commit/c464d3bc906497c2d0ef125d891132c534ff65b4

[Yet-Zio]

@licaon-kter Thanks for letting me know. Maybe I will try the same by downgrading mathparser, but also it will take some time to figure out if there are any issues with the app. Once its done, fdroid can accept the app again, am I right?

[licaon-kter]

Since that was the only setback, yes

[Yet-Zio]

Hello @licaon-kter @linsui I have downgraded to MathParser.org-mXparser:4.4.3 and created a new release 'v1.1.2' as well. So now the issues are solved I guess?

[licaon-kter]

Will test asap :)

[licaon-kter]

:tada: https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/-/commit/fe38243d3b28d51710a86fdbc9f791ac1dbf58cf