License problem: JFreeChart includes some GPL code

[Mike Spreitzer]

In preparing to redistribute JFreeChart, my lawyers discovered some GPL (note:
NOT LGPL) code among the sources bundled with JFreeChart. An example is
source/com/jrefinery/chart/demo/resources/DemoResources.java

found in
jfreechart-0.8.1.zip

This looks like some kind of goof-up to me: JFreeChart claims to be under the LGPL,
but includes some code carrying the more restrictive GPL. Does this violate,
for example, term 2.b. of (version 2 of) the GPL?

What is a responsible party that wants the LGPL terms to do?

Thanks,
Mike

[David Gilbert]

Hi Mike,

I decided (long ago) to use the LGPL for JFreeChart, and the GPL for the demo application(s).

But thinking about it now, this just adds a little bit of unnecessary complexity, so I will attempt to convert the demo applications to the LGPL in a future release (in fact I have already started doing this, if you look at the code in CVS). For code that I wrote myself, this is no problem...where there are other contributors, I need to contact them to confirm that it is OK.

Regards,

DG.

[Mike Spreitzer]

OK, thanks. What can you say about when the next release might be?

Another way I think you could deal with this issue is to distribute the non-demo part and the demo separately; the former could be under LGPL while the latter remains under GPL.

I'm hoping to start my distribution soon, so the sooner this is cleared up, the better for me.

Thanks,
Mike

[David Gilbert]

Quite a lot of changes have been made to the code since 0.8.1, and it will take a bit of time to get it into a state ready for release. I'll e-mail you a clean distribution of 0.8.1 if you like...that is, everything in 0.8.1 except the (GPL) demo code.

DG.