Brother™ distributes files under 4 licenses :
- English_gpl (original) aka GPLv2;
- English_lpr (original);
- English_sane (original);
- English_source (original).
Binary printer drivers are covered by only two licenses. On the Linux printer driver download page (web archive), LPR drivers are distributed under “English_lpr” license, and cupswrapper and ppd drivers are distributed under GPLv2 License. We can find GPLv2 sources for binaries on the source download page (web archive).
Unfortunately, it does not seems to be any public source for printers LPR binary drivers distributed under the “English_lpr” license. But this license says:
Brother grants User a non-exclusive license: to reproduce and/or distribute (via Internet or in any other manner) the Software. Further, Brother grants User a non-exclusive license to modify, alter, translate or otherwise prepare derivative works of the Software and to reproduce and distribute (via Internet or in any other manner) such modification, alteration, translation or other derivative works for any purpose.
So,
- Debian can legaly repackage and redistribute any binary printer driver covered by the “English_lpr” license.
- Debian can repackage and redistribute any printer driver binary covered byt the “GPLv2” license. If source code is available on the source download page, Debian can recompile it.
Note: The “English_source” license seem more conflictual, but no one printer binary driver is covered by this license.
Note: The abstract directory contain plain-text copy of licenses used by Brother™, and links to original on-line HTML licenses files on official Brother™ website.
This file lists every usefull file extracted from printers drivers package associated with checksum and license, so you can easily know which file copied here from package is covered with which license.
The files (PPDs, filters) under the generated_content
directory are all covered by GPLv2 License and their author is Brother™.
The sources extracted in the sources
directory are all covered by GPLv2 License and their author is Brother™.
Other files written by the “Debian copyist brother” team is covered by the free laconic non copyleft ISC license.