Bug#893561: libtablelayout-java: license does not seem to meet the DFSG

[Francesco Poli (wintermute)]

Package: libtablelayout-java
Version: 20090826-3
Severity: serious
Justification: Policy 2.2.1

Hello!
Thanks for maintaining this package in Debian.

I noticed that the license was
[discussed](https://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2009/06/msg00050.html)
on debian-legal a long time ago.
My
[opinion](https://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2009/06/msg00053.html)
was that at least two clauses fail to meet the DFSG.

The debian/copyright file states, in part:

| The source code has been modified to make the package suitable for main (see
| license III. 4.). The package namespace has been changed from
| info.clearthought.layout to org.debian.tablelayout.

Personally, I don't think that applying a patch that changes the namespace
is enough to make the package suitable for Debian main.
I mean: it's true that it is now possible to create drop-in replacements
for the Debian package (without further changing the namespace), but it is
still forbidden to create a modified version that changes the namespace
back to "info.clearthought".

I think that this restriction goes beyond what is allowed by DFSG#4.

Additionally, the license is clearly GPL-incompatible, which may
be an issue for other packages that link with this library.


Is it possible to persuade the upstream copyright holder to
drop clauses III.3 and III.4?
Or, even better, to re-license the library under well-vetted and
clearly DFSG-free terms, such as the
[Expat/MIT license](http://www.jclark.com/xml/copying.txt)
or the
[zlib license](http://www.zlib.net/zlib_license.html)
?

I hope this can be done.
Thanks for your time and helpfulness!