On Thu, 13 Nov 2003, Glenn Maynard wrote: > The GPL says "if you violate this license, this license is revoked". > The proposed license says (roughly) "if you sue us, this license is > revoked". How is one a use restriction and the other not? The GPL doesn't concern itself with useage. You can use a GPLed piece of software no matter what you have done, even if you've violated the license.[1] What it restricts is your ability to copy, modify, and distribute the work. In the second case, if the license purports to involve useage, which (for example) the Apache Software Licenses do, a revocable license is a useage restriction. [Just for clarity, if the GPL did not include section 0, section 4 would be a useage restriction, assuming you agreed that the GPL controlled use of the software.] >> Furthermore, they should only restrict modification, copying, and >> distribution when it serves a clear and present goal of improving the >> freedom of software itself. > > It's easy to argue that the patent-related terms here do that (or > might with improved phrasing). It's difficult to say whether it > outweighs the restrictions, since the side-effects of the > restrictions aren't obvious to me. I'd be happy with the patent related terms if we got rid of the reciprocity portion of it. That's my main concern with that section. The only argument I've seen so far for the reciprocity section is that companies might be unwilling to grant the work such a license without it... I personally don't see this any different having a reciprocity section involving copyright instead of patents. Don Armstrong 1: For instance, SCO can continue to use GPLed works in doing their business, etc. -- Dropping non-free would set us back at least, what, 300 packages? It'd take MONTHS to make up the difference, and meanwhile Debian users will be fleeing to SLACKWARE. And what about SHAREHOLDER VALUE? -- Matt Zimmerman in <gYuD3D.A.ayC.nGB39@murphy> http://www.donarmstrong.com http://www.anylevel.com http://rzlab.ucr.edu
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