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Date:      Thu, 18 May 2000 19:43:56 -0400
From:      "Thomas M. Sommers" <tms2@mail.ptd.net>
To:        chat@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Why are people against GNU? WAS Re: 5.0 already?
Message-ID:  <3924803C.7C5BD92C@mail.ptd.net>
References:  <000001bfbf78$b1b345c0$021d85d1@youwant.to>

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David Schwartz wrote:
> 
>         The GPL does state:
> 
>  "Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies
>  of this license document, but changing it is not allowed."
> 
>         But this does not grant permission to apply the GPL to your works
> however you please. 

It doesn't have to.  You can use it any way you want, subject to any
restrictions on use that it contains, and it contains none.

> As far as I can tell, the only such grant is contained in the
> "How to Apply These Terms to your New Programs" sections, which doesn't
> permit this.

The "How to Apply ..." thing is an appendix, not part of the license
proper.  It has no legal effect, any more than the preamble has.  Even
if it were binding, it is not written prescriptively:

  	If you develop a new program, and you want it to be of the greatest
	possible use to the public, the best way to achieve this is to make
	it free software which everyone can redistribute and change under
	these terms.

	To do so, ... 

It is saying, "This is the best way to make your program useful", not
"This is the only way you can use this license."



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