rPath Open Source Licensing
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rPath licenses its products under a number of open source licenses: Conary is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v3.0 (commonly known as the "GPLv3"), and other products are licensed under the MIT License. This page provides resources, links, and information on rPath software licensing and how to contribute.
rPath Repositories
rPath Bitbucket (rpath sync)
rPath Contributor Agreement
rPath Contributor Agreement (PDF)
rPath Frequently Asked Legal Questions
What is rPath's software licensing model for Conary?
rPath uses a "dual licensing" model. Under this model, users may choose to use Conary under the free software/open source GNU General Public License v3.0 (commonly known as the "GPLv3"), or under a commercial license from rPath.
Under the GPL license, rPath Conary is available free of charge, as long as the use of adheres to the terms of the GPL license. Users may download the software for free, and modify, integrate and distribute it. However, GPL users must abide by the rules of the GPL, which stipulate that if a work based on Conary is redistributed, the complete source code for this work must also be open and available for redistribution under the terms of the GPL. See the GPL and the FAQ of the Free Software Foundation for more details.
If you want to make a commercial use of Conary, you must do so under the GPL, or under other commercial license terms we may agree to. By purchasing a commercial license, you are no longer obligated to publish your source code.
Why does rPath use a dual licensing model?
rPath wants to make our products available to everyone, and we want to continue to make the source code available and encourage outside contributions.
By adopting a dual license model, rPath can remain open source and encourage the freedom of development and contribution that has made us who we are. In addition, it makes it easier to use our software in situations where the GPL is not an option.
The dual licensing model sustains both innovation and growth. If a company sells a version of Conary, or a work based on it, and cannot contribute the code back to the community, we ask that they contact us for a commercial license. On the other hand, developers that want to create better open-source software can continue to do so under the GPL and ensure that everyone benefits from each other's contributions.
Which license should I use?
If your contribution or development falls under the GPL we are encouraging you to use the GPL to perpetuate the spirit of the open source community. If you need to commercially distribute a version of Conary and can not use the GPL, contact us to discuss a commercial license and assistance in commercial integration.
If I have questions about commercial licensing of rPath products, who do I contact?
Please send your question to opensource@rpath.com and we will be happy to assist.
What is the intention of the rPath Contributor Agreement?
1. The original copyright holder and rPath both get (shared) copyright for the code.
2. Both parties can use their copy independently of each other for any purpose (as if each copy was completely separate and unique).
Do I have to fill out a Contributor Agreement?
Yes, you must fill out a Contributor Agreement, if you intend to contribute source code or other materials, regardless of the size of the contribution, which are intended to be compiled or otherwise integrated with Conary.
All contributors to the rPath.com website should fill out the Contributor Agreement, as it makes it easier to keep track of contributions.