From owner-freebsd-chat Sun Dec 23 15:56:40 2001 Delivered-To: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org Received: from guru.mired.org (okc-65-31-201-166.mmcable.com [65.31.201.166]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 5573337B416 for ; Sun, 23 Dec 2001 15:56:37 -0800 (PST) Received: (qmail 25640 invoked by uid 100); 23 Dec 2001 23:56:30 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-ID: <15398.28461.605242.845831@guru.mired.org> Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2001 17:56:29 -0600 To: dwalton@acm.org Cc: chat@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Does Linux violate the GPL? In-Reply-To: <20011223153232.4b562a74.dwalton@acm.org> References: <20011223153232.4b562a74.dwalton@acm.org> X-Mailer: VM 6.90 under 21.1 (patch 14) "Cuyahoga Valley" XEmacs Lucid X-face: "5Mnwy%?j>IIV\)A=):rjWL~NB2aH[}Yq8Z=u~vJ`"(,&SiLvbbz2W`;h9L,Yg`+vb1>RG% *h+%X^n0EZd>TM8_IB;a8F?(Fb"lw'IgCoyM.[Lg#r\ X-Delivery-Agent: TMDA v0.42/Python 2.1.1 (freebsd4) From: "Mike Meyer" Sender: owner-freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk List-ID: List-Archive: (Web Archive) List-Help: (List Instructions) List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Dave Walton types: > A creates software S under BSDL. (Note that the BSDL does not grant > permission to alter the license, a right which is reserved for the author > by default, contrary to popular slashdot belief.) > B creates software T under GPL. > > 1. A decides to include T into S, but does not change the license on S. > One of two possibilities exists: > a. A is in violation of the GPL by not relicensing S and may not > legally use T. This is false. > 2. B decides to include S into T, but does not arrange for A to release S > under GPL. This causes two violations: > a. B has violated the copyright of A by altering the license and may > not legally use S. False again. > b. B has violated the GPL by not releasing ALL the code under GPL. This is true. > 3. C creates a new software U, which is a combination of S and T, but > does not arrange for A to release S under GPL. Once more, two violations: > a. C has violated the copyright of A by altering the license and may > not legally use S. Again false. > b. C has violated the GPL by not releasing ALL the code under GPL. Again true. > I find it mildly entertaining that the GPL makes it so difficult to use > GPL software without violating GPL. You're making the same mistake that Gary kept trying to straighten out. Neither BSDL nor GPL place any restrictions on *use* of the covered work. The restrictions are on distribution. So all the places where you say "may not legally use", you really need to say "may not legally distribute". I.e. - if I take T and add S - neither of which I hold a copyright to - I can legally use it without violating either license, but I can't let anyone else have a copy. http://www.mired.org/home/mwm/ Independent WWW/Perforce/FreeBSD/Unix consultant, email for more information. To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message