Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 19:29:36 +0200 From: Jeremy Lea <reg@shale.csir.co.za> To: Seth Leigh <seth@pengar.com> Cc: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG, lepreau@cs.utah.edu Subject: Re: Not so sinister. Was:(Re: Attempt to relicense BSD code under the GPL) Message-ID: <19990119192936.D826@shale.csir.co.za> In-Reply-To: <l03110705b2ca7fabd912@[192.168.0.2]>; from Seth Leigh on Tue, Jan 19, 1999 at 11:47:57AM -0700 References: <l03110705b2ca7fabd912@[192.168.0.2]>
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Hi,
On Tue, Jan 19, 1999 at 11:47:57AM -0700, Seth Leigh wrote:
> Apparently there has been a misunderstanding. In fact, Jay just emailed me
> saying that he had reread his license page, and now understands where we
> are coming from. He said he will add some info to clarify this to the
> license page. Only the stuff that THEY have done (THEY = the U of Utah CS
> folks whose project web page we are talking about) is under the GPL. They
> are not attempting to relicense stuff they have used from other,
> BSD-licensed sources. The original licenses for those individual
> components still apply.
[...]
> However, this whole controversy of "Attempt to relicense BSD code under the
> GPL" is nothing but a big misunderstanding.
But you missed the point of the complaint. The GPL will not allow them to
do this. If they want to use the GPL for their own code, then it forces
them to use the GPL for their entire code base (whatever they are linking
and packaging). They've misunderstood the terms of the GPL.
To quote (from /usr/src/contrib/gcc/COPYING):
" 2. You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion
of it, thus forming a work based on the Program, and copy and
distribute such modifications or work under the terms of Section 1
above, provided that you also meet all of these conditions:
a) You must cause the modified files to carry prominent notices
stating that you changed the files and the date of any change.
b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in
whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any
part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third
parties under the terms of this License."
Read that last clause carefully.
Regards,
-Jeremy
--
| If I was not so weak, if I was not so cold,
--+-- If I was not so scared of being broken, growing old,
| I would be. I would be... frail.
| - jars of clay / much afraid / frail
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