[iText-questions] Use of iTextSharp dll 4.1.6

[Anita]

We planning to use iTextSharp-4.1.6 DLL. We are not indenting to modify any
code. We will need to reference the dll. In the site
"https://github.com/itextsharper/iTextSharp-4.1.6 " it is mentioned, this
is "The MPL / LGPLv2 version of the iTextSharp library for posterity." Also
in wiki, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IText it is mentioned "Versions of
iText through 4.1.6/4.2.0 were released under the MPL and LGPL licenses,
which allowed them to be used in closed-source software projects" Please
help me with this usage validity.



--
View this message in context: http://itext-general.2136553.n4.nabble.com/Use-of-iTextSharp-dll-4-1-6-tp4659543.html
Sent from the iText - General mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

[iText mailing list]

We planning to use iTextSharp-4.1.6 DLL. We are not indenting to
modify any code. We will need to reference the dll. In the site
"https://github.com/itextsharper/iTextSharp-4.1.6 " it is mentioned,
this is "The MPL / LGPLv2 version of the iTextSharp library for
posterity." Also in wiki, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IText it is
mentioned "Versions of iText through 4.1.6/4.2.0 were released under
the MPL and LGPL licenses, which allowed them to be used in
closed-source software projects" Please help me with this usage validity.

Please start by reading http://itextpdf.com/salesfaq

You'll notice that there are legal as well as technical problems with
versions of iText(Sharp) predating version 5. Some people have asked us:
can't we fix those issues so that we can use iText(Sharp) for free?
Please read http://lowagie.com/why5 and ask yourself: are you going to
participate to ISO to know more about the standard? See
http://itextpdf.com/events/ISO/NY2013

Finally, you refer to a version of iTextSharp published on Github by
somebody with the (Trademark-infringing) nickname iTextSharper. This
version is NO endorsed by the iText Group. How do you know this version
doesn't contain any features/functionality that is different from what's
inside the official version? Who are you going to turn to for help if
something is wrong with that version?

[TestUser]

Thanks for the quick response.Yes i got your viewpoint.But if the application
is referencing the dll with version 4.1.6.0 then we can still continue using
the same right even after new release? if somebody is happy with the old
version and don't feel need to upgrade it to newer version can still use
4.1.6.0 version under the MPL and LGPL licenses, which allowed them to be
used in closed-source software projects.Please correct me if i am wrong
here.



--
View this message in context: http://itext-general.2136553.n4.nabble.com/Use-of-iTextSharp-dll-4-1-6-tp4659543p4659546.html
Sent from the iText - General mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

[iText mailing list]

if somebody is happy with the old version and don't feel need to
upgrade it to newer version can still use 4.1.6.0 version under the
MPL and LGPL licenses, which allowed them to be used in closed-source
software projects.

It depends.

Do you have customers? If so, your customer may feel disrespected if you
sell him software that uses a version that is obsolete and no longer
endorsed. For instance: on occasion, the iText Group contacts companies
that use PDFs created with the old version, explaining the benefits of
upgrading. In some cases, these companies didn't know they were using
iText; iText was introduced by an integrator who didn't tell them about
the fact that an obsolete version was used. In at least one case, this
led to the situation where a company stopped all cooperation with one
integrator in favor of a new cooperation with another integrator from
iText's whitelist.

Are you a start-up? If so, you may be looking for an investor. However,
before funding or acquiring a company, a VC or a potential buyer will do
a due diligence. As soon as they discover that you've knowingly
introduced an obsolete version of iText, you'll risk that they're no
longer interested. Quite often, we get inquiries from companies in the
context of such a due diligence.

[codemeister2]

What you just described is called tortious interference or interference with
contractual relations. Calling up someone's client and telling them their
integrator did something wrong or bad by using the older, more liberally
licensed version of iTextSharp can constitute civil malfeasance under the
law if you induce the client to cancel any existing contract, back out of
work, or discontinue a business relationship that otherwise would have
remained intact. This is a tort under common law and suit can be brought
against you to hold you liable for any damages the integrator incurred
because of your interference. I sincerely hope iText have discontinued this
practice, as it is not only illegal, but immoral.



--
View this message in context: http://itext-general.2136553.n4.nabble.com/Use-of-iTextSharp-dll-4-1-6-tp4659543p4660716.html
Sent from the iText - General mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dive into the World of Parallel Programming. The Go Parallel Website,
sponsored by Intel and developed in partnership with Slashdot Media, is your
hub for all things parallel software development, from weekly thought
leadership blogs to news, videos, case studies, tutorials and more. Take a
look and join the conversation now. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net/
_______________________________________________
iText-questions mailing list
iText-***@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/itext-questions

iText(R) is a registered trademark of 1T3XT BVBA.
Many questions posted to this list can (and will) be answered with a reference to the iText book: http://www.itextpdf.com/book/
Please check the keywords list before you ask for examples: http://itextpdf.com/themes/keywords.php

[iText mailing list]

Post by codemeister2
What you just described is called tortious interference or interference with
contractual relations. Calling up someone's client and telling them their
integrator did something wrong or bad by using the older, more liberally
licensed version of iTextSharp can constitute civil malfeasance under the
law if you induce the client to cancel any existing contract, back out of
work, or discontinue a business relationship that otherwise would have
remained intact. This is a tort under common law and suit can be brought
against you to hold you liable for any damages the integrator incurred
because of your interference. I sincerely hope iText have discontinued this
practice, as it is not only illegal, but immoral.

We prefer working WITH integrators, not AGAINST integrators. Watch this
testimony from an integrator to find out what we mean by this:

Many integrators have already signed up with us to be a reseller in the
sense that they get a reduction when they use iText in many different
projects.

Unfortunately, we also know of some integrators who don't want to work
with us. For reasons unknown, they introduce obsolete, unsupported,
unofficial iText versions in projects of their customers.
Because of this, their customers' projects would never survive a due
diligence if ever a due diligence process was necessary. See
http://stackoverflow.com/a/25698526/1622493 to find out why not.
What integrator cheats a customer by introducing obsolete software into
his code base? I'm sure you'll agree that such behavior is immoral and
even raises legal issues.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dive into the World of Parallel Programming. The Go Parallel Website,
sponsored by Intel and developed in partnership with Slashdot Media, is your
hub for all things parallel software development, from weekly thought
leadership blogs to news, videos, case studies, tutorials and more. Take a
look and join the conversation now. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net/
_______________________________________________
iText-questions mailing list
iText-***@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/itext-questions

iText(R) is a registered trademark of 1T3XT BVBA.
Many questions posted to this list can (and will) be answered with a reference to the iText book: http://www.itextpdf.com/book/
Please check the keywords list before you ask for examples: http://itextpdf.com/themes/keywords.php

[mkl]

Post by codemeister2
What you just described is called tortious interference or interference
with contractual relations...

"just" in this case is merely more than a year ago...




--
View this message in context: http://itext-general.2136553.n4.nabble.com/Use-of-iTextSharp-dll-4-1-6-tp4659543p4660718.html
Sent from the iText - General mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dive into the World of Parallel Programming. The Go Parallel Website,
sponsored by Intel and developed in partnership with Slashdot Media, is your
hub for all things parallel software development, from weekly thought
leadership blogs to news, videos, case studies, tutorials and more. Take a
look and join the conversation now. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net/
_______________________________________________
iText-questions mailing list
iText-***@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/itext-questions

iText(R) is a registered trademark of 1T3XT BVBA.
Many questions posted to this list can (and will) be answered with a reference to the iText book: http://www.itextpdf.com/book/
Please check the keywords list before you ask for examples: http://itextpdf.com/themes/keywords.php

[iText mailing list]

Post by mkl
"just" in this case is merely more than a year ago...

And the situation that is described, where the customer stopped working
with the integrator, was a situation where the integrator had introduced
the AGPL version of iText in a situation that either required having a
license, or required that all the software written for his customer was
published as AGPL.

The integrator failed to inform his customer of these two options and
the customer didn't appreciate that (for very good reasons).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dive into the World of Parallel Programming. The Go Parallel Website,
sponsored by Intel and developed in partnership with Slashdot Media, is your
hub for all things parallel software development, from weekly thought
leadership blogs to news, videos, case studies, tutorials and more. Take a
look and join the conversation now. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net/
_______________________________________________
iText-questions mailing list
iText-***@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/itext-questions

iText(R) is a registered trademark of 1T3XT BVBA.
Many questions posted to this list can (and will) be answered with a reference to the iText book: http://www.itextpdf.com/book/
Please check the keywords list before you ask for examples: http://itextpdf.com/themes/keywords.php

[TvT]

But if the application is referencing the dll with version 4.1.6.0 then we
can still continue using the same right even after new release? if somebody
is happy with the old version and don't feel need to upgrade it to newer
version can still use 4.1.6.0 version under the MPL and LGPL licenses,
which allowed them to be used in closed-source software projects. Please
correct me if i am wrong here.