Qt Project: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:57, 2 November 2019

Revision as of 06:31, 17 February 2020

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Until version 1.45 the source code of Qt was released under the ''Qt Free Edition License''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://quickgit.kde.org/?p=qt1.git&a=blob&h=2b98366d82a95f66988a7206290120e8c698ea40&f=LICENSE&o=plain|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014010101/https://quickgit.kde.org/?p%3Dqt1.git%26a%3Dblob%26h%3D2b98366d82a95f66988a7206290120e8c698ea40%26f%3DLICENSE%26o%3Dplain|title=Qt Free Edition License|year=1992|publisher=Trolltech|accessdate=14 October 2016|url-status=dead|archivedate=14 October 2016}}</ref> This was viewed as not compliant with the open source principle by the [[Open Source Initiative]] and the free software definition by [[Free Software Foundation]] because, while the source was available, it did not allow the redistribution of modified versions.

Controversy arose around 1998 when it became clear that [[KDE|KDE’sKDE's]] [[K Desktop Environment 1|K Desktop Environment]] was going to become one of the leading [[desktop environment]]s for [[Linux]]. As it was based on Qt, many people in the [[free software movement]] worried that an essential piece of one of their major operating systems would be proprietary.

With the release of Qt 2.0, the license was changed to the [[Q Public License]] (QPL), a [[free software]] license but one regarded by the [[Free Software Foundation]] as incompatible with the GPL. A compromise was found between KDE and Trolltech whereby Qt would not be able to fall under a more restrictive license than the QPL, even if Trolltech was bought out or went bankrupt. This led to the creation of the KDE Free Qt Foundation which guarantees that Qt would fall under a [[BSD-style license]] should no free/open source version of Qt be released during a period of 12 months.<ref name="foundation">{{cite web|url=http://www.kde.org/community/whatiskde/kdefreeqtfoundation.php |title=Free Qt Foundation |publisher=KDE |date= |accessdate=2013-05-08}}</ref>

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On {{date|2009-01-14|format=dmy}} Qt version 4.5 was [[Software relicensing|relicensed]], adding [[LGPL]] as licensing option.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dot.kde.org/2009/01/14/qt-everywhere-45-be-relicensed-lgpl |title=Qt Everywhere: 4.5 To Be Relicensed As LGPL |publisher= |date= |accessdate=2013-05-08}}</ref>

The Qt Project was founded on {{date|2011-10-21|format=dmy}}.<ref name="open governance" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Meyer |first=David |url=http://www.zdnet.com/nokia-gives-qt-open-source-governance-3040094261/ |title=Nokia gives Qt open-source governance |publisher=ZDNet |date=2011-10-24 |accessdate=2013-05-08}}</ref> In August 2012 Digia announced to acquire all rights to Qt and take Nokia’sNokia's role within the Qt Project.<ref name="DigiaQt" />

== Governance ==