Some info about the PHP license and PEAR (we are going to keep it in Moodle)

diff --git a/lib/pear/README.txt b/lib/pear/README.txt
index 9b045bc9151739b31b8ff3705729fe6e37972a35..21d4a1e637dd3ef8005990c455c38b33981c0e4c 100644 (file)
--- a/lib/pear/README.txt
+++ b/lib/pear/README.txt
@@ -30,3 +30,30 @@ the old calls used before Moodle 1.6 to maintain compatibility.
 Please, don't forget it! Always use wrapper classes/functions!
 
 Ciao, Eloy Lafuente, 2005-12-17 :-)
+
+
+
+----------------------------------------------------------------
+A NOTE ON THE PHP LICENSE AND MOODLE
+================================================================
+
+There is some question about how PHP-licensed software can be 
+included within a GPL-licensed distribution like Moodle, specifically
+the clause that says no derivative of the software can include the 
+name PHP.  We don't intend to rename Moodle to anything of the 
+sort, obviously, but to help people downstream who could possibly 
+want to do so, we have sought special permission from the authors
+of these classes to allow us an exemption on this point so that 
+we don't need to change our nice clean GPL license.
+
+Xavier Noguer has given Moodle explicit permission to distribute 
+his OLE PEAR class in the Moodle distribution, and allows any
+body using this class ONLY as part of the Moodle distribution
+exemption from clauses of the PHP license that could cause
+conflict with the main GNU Public License that Moodle uses.
+
+We are still waiting to hear back from Stig, Thomas or Pierre-Alain,
+but we assume for now that it will likewise be OK.
+
+Cheers,
+Martin Dougiamas, 2 April 2006