Group talk: OpenOfficeExtensions

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License clarifications

Name Description Copyright status/License issues Contacts / Discussion notes
CalcEasyToolbar Improves insertion/deletion of rows into merged columns. Library entry states that it is under GPLv3, but nothing in the download mentions any license, making it impossible to distribute without modification (since it lacks a copy of GPLv3, etc.) Sent an email to Ks Tan, as listed here asking for clarification, and offering to send a patch applying the license boilerplate. JesseW 02:35, 11 May 2010 (UTC)
Calendartemplate An easy customizable calendar for Calc. Library entry links to FSF's copy of GPLv3, but no statement in the download. Sent email as listed here, similar to above. JesseW 03:08, 11 May 2010 (UTC)
History Manager A manager for the OOo Recent Documents list. Allows you to change its size or clear it. Includes copy of GPLv2 but no other copyright or licensing information. Have not contacted author yet.
eTOK Create e-Training projects. Copyrighted; no licensing information inside the extension. Have not contacted author yet.
Auto Starter for Presentation documents Add "Impress autostart feature" and "support pps files" List entry describes it as being under LGPL, but no mention in the code. Also uses code from here which appears to have no license attached to it. Have not contacted author yet.
An OxygenOffice Extra - Gallery A collection of clip art images. Extension as a whole is licensed under LGPL (no version specified), but individual images are under a mess of different licenses, described in a file on their website. Not yet contacted.
History Manager Automatically inserts no-break space before colons, semicolons, etc. according to the french typographical rules. Missing copyright notice. Not yet contacted.
French Spacing A manager for the OOo Recent Documents list that allows you to change its size or clear it. Includes a copy of the GPL but no copyright notice or explicit license grant. Not yet contacted.
Color2Rows This extension enables the rapid coloring of table rows with different colors to selected or used areas. Extension claims to be copyrighted 2009 by Juergen Doehler but the extension contains no licensing information. Jason Self sent email to author on September 28 2010 asking if the author would make it available under the GNU GPL.
Thai Document Template Extension for Writer. Template for Thai government document. Project site claims to be under GPLv3 & Creative Commons, but there's no copy of Creative Commons license in the extension. Extension does not contain copyright information. Not contacted yet.
Thai Garuda Gallery Garuda gallery extension contain Thai Garuda images for Thai government documents. Extension include a copy of LGPLv3, PDL, and GPLv3 with no clear license grant. Missing copyright information. Not contacted yet.
Portable PhotoAlbum Portable PhotoAlbum lets you easily create photo albums that are standalone and lightweight, especially meant for online sharing. Includes a copy of GPLv3 but there's no license grant anywhere. Have made multiple attempts to contact the author with no reply. Finally removed from the free listing & added to the discussion tab.

Example letters

Here's the letter I sent to the developers of CalcEasyToolbar. Feel free to use all or part of it in letters you send out. I hereby release it into the public domain, with no restrictions, as stated in the CC Public Domain Certification. JesseW 02:56, 11 May 2010 (UTC)

Hello!

I came across your OpenOffice.org extension, CalcEasyToolbar, and noticed that, while it is listed ( 
http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/en/project/license/1798 ) as being licensed under the GPLv3,
the actual source files of the extension lack any mention of the license.  

Since they don't include the appropriate boilerplate,  it's not actually possible to legally distribute
the extension unmodified.  Specifically, the source files don't contain copyright and license statements,
and the zip file does not contain a copy of the GPLv3.  You can see more details about how to fix this
here: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-howto.html 

I'd be glad to add this boilerplate myself, and send you the updated version so you can upload it, if that
would be more convenient for you.

I came across your extension as part of helping out the FSF's effort to build a library of specifically Free
Software OpenOffice.org extensions, described here: http://groups.fsf.org/wiki/Group:OpenOfficeExtensions .

Thanks for your work,

FastMailMerge license

Looking at FastMailMerge, it contains a copy of LGPLv3, but the license statements in the files say it is licensed under LGPLv2.1 or later. This should be mentioned, not simplified into LGPLv3+ (or even more incorrectly, as LGPLv3 only.) JesseW 16:51, 18 May 2010 (UTC)

Link issue

Since some users addressed me concerning difficulties about obtaining my extension Borderliner through the OOo website, I placed it on my personal home page until a general solution is found.