On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:41:27 -0800 Ben Pfaff wrote: > Francesco Poli <frx@firenze.linux.it> writes: > > > On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 11:53:25 -0600 Jordi Gutierrez Hermoso wrote: > > > >> The readme.txt file states > >> > >> This program is released under the GNU General Public License. > >> It may be modified and/or redistributed under the terms of > >> said license. The creator is not responsible for damages > >> occuring because of this program. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED OR > >> MODIFIED WITHOUT EXPLICIT CREDIT GIVEN TO THE AUTHOR. > [...] > >> If I grab the code myself and modify it for > >> Debian, I need to explicitly credit myself as an author too? > > > > Well, I think the "AUTHOR" which is talked about is the original > > author, not the modification author. > > So, no, I don't think you are forced to credit yourself too. > > It seems arguable that GPL 2a already requires you to credit > yourself if you modify the work: > > a) You must cause the modified files to carry prominent notices > stating that you changed the files and the date of any change. That is a completely different aspect of the issue. I apologize for not being clear enough: I was talking about the sentences outside the GPL text. So, to state the matter in a (hopefully) clearer way: AFAICS, the sentence | IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED OR | MODIFIED WITHOUT EXPLICIT CREDIT GIVEN TO THE AUTHOR. refers to the original author as "THE AUTHOR" and hence asks for credit to the original author. On the other hand, everything that is required by the GPL text must be done in order to exercize the granted permissions. One important thing that is still to be clarified is the nature of those sentences outside the GPL text: are they explanations for lay persons or additional restrictions? Hope this explains what I meant. The usual disclaimers: IANAL, IANADD. -- But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend. -- from _Coming to America_ ..................................................... Francesco Poli . GnuPG key fpr == C979 F34B 27CE 5CD8 DC12 31B5 78F4 279B DD6D FCF4
Attachment:
pgptSTe2qomEz.pgp
Description: PGP signature