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Date:      Tue, 3 Jul 2001 17:22:16 +0100
From:      j mckitrick <jcm@FreeBSD-uk.eu.org>
To:        Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com>
Cc:        Rahul Siddharthan <rsidd@physics.iisc.ernet.in>, Giorgos Keramidas <keramida@ceid.upatras.gr>, Dirk Myers <dirkm@teleport.com>, freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: BSD, .Net comments - any reponse to this reasoning?
Message-ID:  <20010703172216.F39318@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org>
In-Reply-To: <3B41F0E4.B55E6937@softweyr.com>; from wes@softweyr.com on Tue, Jul 03, 2001 at 10:20:52AM -0600
References:  <20010630174743.A85268@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org> <20010630173455.T344@teleport.com> <20010701032900.A93049@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org> <20010701132353.W344@teleport.com> <20010702152649.A18127@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org> <20010702180222.A2667@hades.hell.gr> <20010702161055.A18543@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org> <20010702172448.I4896@lpt.ens.fr> <3B41F0E4.B55E6937@softweyr.com>

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| Yes, the copyright holder by definition holds the right to specify how 
| copies can be made an used.  That's what "copy" "right" means.
| 
| A complication for open source projects: if you have accepted contributions
| of code (bug fixes, new features, etc) from others, and have not specified
| that all contributions become your property, you may not be able to issue
| the code under a new license without getting the permission of all of the
| contributors.  This is why the FSF asks for copyright assignment for the GNU
| tools; it allows them to control (prevent) the issuance of the code under
| other licenses.  It's a great idea if you can get your contributors to do
| it.

Tell me if I have this right:

BSD-licensed code may be used for anything, but requires the permission of
the copyright owner to change the licensing terms.

GPL-licensed code is subject to GPL terms as long as the copyright owner
keeps it under that license.  They may change this at any time.

Does this mean the existing code does or does NOT continue to be under the
terms of the original license before it was changed?



Jonathon
--
Microsoft complaining about the source license used by 
Linux is like the event horizon calling the kettle black.

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