Hello,

Have any of you guys gone through a legal approval process for allowing Eigen to be used in proprietary software? I am in the middle of this, and have no experience in these matters. As Eigen 3.1.1 is now distributed under the MPL2, what does that mean one must do? My impression, based on 3.2.a of the MPL2 http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/, was that we must say we are using Eigen, like in a readme file or such, and provide a link to the Eigen website, where they can get the Covered Software (Eigen).

In speaking to the people I need to convince, their principle worry seems to be that our company could be sued if Eigen was doing something illegal. Others at our company say that the people who are worried are software developers who are threatened by using software that is free. Ha. Thanks for any advice or interpretation of the MPL2 that you can give me.

Of course, you can use Eigen in proprietary software.
You have to give users the source of Eigen-modified-by-you.
You don't have to give the source of other parts.

MPL is a file-level license.
Modification in Eigen's files are treated as modification in Eigen, so you have to publish it.
Otherwise, you implementations (how you use Eigen) in other files are your property.
LGPL doesn't make the distinguishment so clear.

Using free software in proprietary software isn't uncommon.
PowerDirector uses 7-zip to compress their huge product into a DVD.

jdh8 wrote:Of course, you can use Eigen in proprietary software.
You have to give users the source of Eigen-modified-by-you.
You don't have to give the source of other parts.

That part is the main cause of my doubts and fears. I've read this many times in several places.
Which part of MPL2 says this?
I can't find it.

Going to http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/ and reading:

1.7. “Larger Work” means a work that combines Covered Software with other material, in a separate file or files, that is not Covered Software.
3.3. Distribution of a Larger Work
You may create and distribute a Larger Work under terms of Your choice, provided that You also comply with etc, etc, etc...

Now, "Larger work" as above does not define our proprietary software, because Eigen is not distributed in separate file or files, it is compiled in executables or shared libraries among other our code.
As for me, our proprietary software is not defined at all in that license.

Lawyers, please, help to resolve the issue!

Here the notion of file or files is with respect to the source code files, so no worry (Covered Software refers to the source code)

ggael wrote:Here the notion of file or files is with respect to the source code files, so no worry (Covered Software refers to the source code)

Thanks!

I'd like to make exact fits to the letter of the law and find definitions of everything.

MPL2 wrote:1.13. “Source Code Form” means the form of the work preferred for making modifications.
1.6. “Executable Form” means any form of the work other than Source Code Form.
1.10. “Modifications” means any of the following:
a. any file in Source Code Form that results from an addition to, deletion from, or modification of the contents of Covered Software; or
b. any new file in Source Code Form that contains any Covered Software.

1.4. “Covered Software” means Source Code Form to which the initial Contributor has attached the notice in Exhibit A, the Executable Form of such Source Code Form, and Modifications of such Source Code Form, in each case including portions thereof.

1.7. “Larger Work” means a work that combines Covered Software with other material, in a separate file or files, that is not Covered Software.

Original untouched Eigen in the separate directory is the "Source code form".
If simply #include Eigen's headers in my sources, my sources are the "Larger work".

What I do not understand, is
if executables, compiled from my sources, comply with the "Larger work" definition,
because Eigen now is not in separate file of files.

If no, how does this license define them?
"Executable form", probably?

please, look at the FAQ: http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/FAQ.html, especially Q11 for your concerns.