Re: reg license implications in implementing/using the JDBC spec

On 2016-09-29 02:44, Prasad Varakur wrote:
> Hi,
> I am trying to understand how far the pgsql-jdbc driver is compliant
> with the JDBC-spec license. First couple of pages of the spec has
> license terms:
>
> http://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/jcp/jdbc-4_1-mrel-spec/jdbc4.1-fr-spec.pdf
>
> - clause(1) seems to grant license for evaluation purpose

Clause 1 is for when **you** (as a user of JDBC) want to read the
specification (or when you consider implementing). Clause 2 is only for
implementors and distributors

> - clause(2) seems to grant license for compliant implementations as
> defined by (a)-(c), which has to be a fully compliant implementation
> which can pass the JDBC-TCK.
>
> As I understand, the pgsql-jdbc is not evaluation, nor is a fully
> compliant implementation. Documentation also states, it has postgres
> specific extensions to the spec.

Postgres specific extensions are allowed as long those extensions are
not in the "Licensor Name Space" (ie java.sql, javax.sql, com.sun, sun,
oracle, com.oracle etc). I'm not sure a fully compliant JDBC driver
actually exists (not even the Oracle driver isn't as far as I am aware).
In my opinion the spirit of the license is likely more to prevent
drivers with extremely differing behavior which would make JDBC almost
impossible to use as a database independent API.

>
> With this, my Qs are:
> 1) Is pgsql-jdbc a legitimate implementation of JDBC-spec,
> conforming to the JDBC license terms? If so, how?

Technically probably not (just like most JDBC drivers). Getting access
to the TCK is an annoying bureaucracy for open source projects or
individuals, and expensive for companies (especially because for unclear
reasons it is part of the JavaSE TCK instead of a separate TCK).

> 2) Does postgres-JDBC Group obtained special license from
> Oracle/jdbc-Spec-owner for this implementation of pgsql-jdbc.

Can't answer that, but I assume not very likely.

> 3) Are users of pgsql-jdbc also considered violating
> jdbc-spec-license terms, if pgsql-jdbc is not a legitimate
> implementation of the JDBC-spec.

Not likely, because of clause 3, and the fact that clause 2 only applies
to entities **implementing** (or distributing) a JDBC driver, not to end
users.

Disclaimer: IANAL.

However in the broad picture: in the past (almost) 20 years, there have
been no legal actions (or threats) against JDBC driver vendors, which
pretty much indicates that the status quo is considered acceptable (and
Oracle is not really known to be non-litigious). Also consider the fact
that it is in the best interest of Oracle to have a good eco-system of
database drivers.

The language of the license is probably more to prevent a "Microsoft
Java" or a "Google Android Java", or in other words: people taking a lot
of ideas set forth in the spec, but not intending to adhere to it in all
aspects.

In short: don't worry.

Mark

PS I sent this to the OP by private email earlier; would it be possible
to configure the list to use the list address as a Reply-To?