Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 15:57:19 -0700 From: "David Schwartz" <davids@webmaster.com> To: "Anatoly Vorobey" <mellon@pobox.com> Cc: <chat@freebsd.org> Subject: RE: RE: Why are people against GNU? WAS Re: 5.0 already? Message-ID: <002301bfbec0$ec53b3d0$021d85d1@youwant.to> In-Reply-To: <20000515100959.57288@techunix.technion.ac.il>
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> You, David Schwartz, were spotted writing this on Sun, May 14, > 2000 at 06:06:32PM -0700: > > > > > It is the choice of the author to use the words "GPL version 2 (or any > > > later version) applies to this software" or "GPL version 2, and solely > > > that version, applies to this software", or nothing (which implies the > > > earlier choice). The author has the choice. > > > > > > Anatoly Vorobey, > > > > Do you have Stallman's permission to make and use a derived > > work from the > > GPL? The GPL is copyrighted after all. > I think you didn't understand what I was saying. You don't have to modify > the GPL in order to prevent later versions of it from applying to your > product. You need to *preface* the GPL with the statement that your > product is covered by this specific license that follows and no other > versions of it. The text inside GPL which allows a user to apply a later > version will only work if you did *not* preface the GPL by such a > statement > (or if you prefaced it by explicitly saying that later versions > will apply). The GPL is someone's intellectual property. If you wish to use it, you must use it according to the terms by which it was licensed to you. If you don't have permission to use the GPL with such modifications, you are not permitted to do so. I think Stallman would have a major problem with people prefacing the GPL with 'modifications', amendments or changes of any kind. He could argue that the GPL with such a preface is a 'derived work' of the GPL. > > You don't think Stallman would give > > up the incredible power he has -- he can change the licensing > terms of every > > single piece of software covered by the GPL at his whim. Not even the > > individual authors can do as the GPL reserves the right only for him. > That is also completely incorrect. An individual author *always* has > the right to reissue his product with any other license he chooses -- > proprietary, free, whatever. The GPL's restrictions don't apply to the > copyright holder. This has been used extensively in fact (by the author > of the GPLed Ghostscript, for instance, who issues commercial licenses > for early versions with new technology). Your response has nothing whatsoever to do with what I said. Please read it again. If I write a work and place it under the GPL, and it is later modified and extended, a new version of the GPL being issued would change the licensing terms for the work as a whole. Not even the original author can do that. And believe me, Stallman would throw a fit if I prefaced the GPL with: "This program is free software. You can distribute and/or modify it under the terms of the GPL; however, you implicitly agree that any code you contribute to it may also be released under any other license that the original software is released under." This is the power that the GPL reserves ONLY for itself. DS To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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