Brian Thomas Sniffen wrote:
License agreements are not contracts -- even the GPL is not, since I have not offered or performed anything in exchange for receiving thoselicenses.
In many jurisdictions (Scotland is one, Germany another (IIRC)), consideration is not necessary to form a contract; unilateral contracts are valid and enforcable[1].
Textbook Example: in Scotland, if you advertise a reward for returning your lost cellphone, you are contractually obligated to reward the person returning the phone. If you refuse, they can take you to court for this reward. (In this case, the phone is not consideration, as it your phone, not theirs. They are not actually giving you anything when they return your phone).
[1] - I cite http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/text/peclcomp29.html , 'promises binding'
-- Lewis Jardine IANAL IANADD