[ARROW-14550] [C++][Go] the json license is not compatible with FSF standards

• Type: Bug
• Status: Resolved
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Fixed
• Fix Version/s: 6.0.1, 7.0.0
• Component/s: C++, Go
• Labels: licence license pull-request-available
• External issue URL: https://github.com/apache/arrow/issues/18921
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: attila lendvai
• Created: 02/Nov/21 10:44
• Updated: 11/Jan/23 08:40
• Resolved: 03/Nov/21 16:01

Description

as per https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/License:JSON

 

"This license uses the Expat license as a base, but adds a clause mandating: “The Software shall be used for Good, not Evil.” This is a restriction on usage and thus conflicts with freedom 0. The restriction might be unenforcible, but we cannot presume that. Thus, the license is nonfree."

 

multiple LICENSE.txt files contain a note:

 

"To avoid the problematic JSON license in your own projects, it's sufficient to exclude the
bin/jsonchecker/ directory, as it's the only code under the JSON license."

 

to see them all: https://github.com/apache/arrow/search?q=jsonchecker

 

but the mentioned directory is not present in the repo (anymore?).

 

please clarify, or if appropriate, then just delete the reference to the JSON license, and with that make the project qualify for inclusion in e.g. Guix (https://issues.guix.gnu.org/51566).

Issue Links

• links to: GitHub Pull Request #11596