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Date:      Fri, 3 Sep 1999 16:15:03 -0700
From:      "Dave Walton" <walton@nordicrecords.com>
To:        Dag-Erling Smorgrav <des@flood.ping.uio.no>, freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Berkeley removes Advertising Clause
Message-ID:  <19990903231722.7492.qmail@modgud.nordicrecords.com>
In-Reply-To: <xzpwvu8wh2p.fsf@flood.ping.uio.no>
References:  "Dave Walton"'s message of "Thu, 2 Sep 1999 15:09:19 -0700"

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On 3 Sep 99, at 10:10, Dag-Erling Smorgrav wrote:

> The advertising clause is a "further restriction" which conflicts with
> the GPL's requirement that "no further restrictions" be placed on the
> code. 

Yes, but that isn't the only "restriction" in the BSD license.  So 
what does it change?

> The removal of the advertising clause makes it possible to
> relicense BSD code under the GPL.

Does it?  Only the copyright holder can change the license, and 
they can do that whether or not there is an advertising clause.  
Removal of that clause doesn't allow a third party to change the 
license, because they don't have that right.

> Contrast this with the common
> practice, in the GPL world, of releasing code "under the terms of the
> GNU Public License version 2 or newer", which makes it possible for
> the FSF to change the license *even on code they were never involved
> in writing*.

I know.  So people are running around bragging about how their 
license ensures that the code is "forever free", while they are using 
the only license in the world that specifically allows retroactive 
changes.  Talk about failing to grasp the concept...

Dave


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave Walton                                                           
Webmaster, Postmaster                   Nordic Entertainment Worldwide
walton@nordicdms.com                          http://www.nordicdms.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------


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