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Re: [PHP4BETA] License concerns




On Tue, 20 Jul 1999, Rasmus Lerdorf wrote:

> > Btw I have another concern with the PHP4 licence itself:
> > 
> >   4. The PHP Group reserves the right to modify the PHP license at
> >      any time and without prior notice, as long as the changes keep
> >          the free and open source nature of PHP.
> > 
> > does this mean rectroactively changing the license of already distributed
> > copies of the software ? If yes, then it may clash with the open source
> > definition (I'm expecting comments here from people who know DFSG issues
> > more than me), if not, then this paragraph is not needed, since the
> > copyright holder can change the license anyway.
> 
> This is not an attempt to be able to retroactively change the license.  My
> view of this is that once a piece of software has been released under a
> certain license you can't go back and change it.  This clause is an

IIRC there were licences which allowed changing retroactively (more
specifically, revoking the licence). They suck.

> attempt to be able to make minor license tweaks without having to get
> approval from every one of the hundreds of people that have contributed to
> PHP.  

This is ok then.

> The wording may not be appropriate though.

Then please reword it more clearly :) You see I was confused... :(

Greg


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