Re: GPL: collective works

[ferret@phonewave.net]

On Thu, 16 Mar 2000, Brian Kimball wrote:

> GPL, section 2:
> > Thus, it is not the intent of this section to claim rights or contest
> > your rights to work written entirely by you; rather, the intent is to
> > exercise the right to control the distribution of derivative or
> > COLLECTIVE WORKS based on the Program. 
> > 
> > In addition, mere aggregation of another work not based on the Program
> > with the Program (or with a work based on the Program) on a volume of
> > a storage or distribution medium does not bring the other work under
> > the scope of this License. 
> (emphasis obviously mine)
> 
> Isn't the 'mere aggregration of another work not based on the Pogram
> with the Program ... on a volume of a storage or distribution medium' a
> creation of a collective work?  If so, isn't the above saying
> 
> a) derivative works based on the Program or collective works including
> the Program must be GPLed
> b) works not based on the Program that are included in collective works
> (which include the Program) are not subject to the terms of this license
> 
> Isn't that contradictory?

I think about it something like this:

I have book A about a princess who falls asleep when kissed, and book B
about a prince who turns into a frog when kissed.

I place both books next to each other on the shelf. This is an
aggregration and the copyright does not matter.

I copy and paste from both books to have a story where the princess falls
asleep with a frog in her arms. This is a derivitive work and the
copyright does matter.

I cut the front binding from one book and the back binding from the other
book and paste them together to form a new book. This is a collective work
and the copyright matters.

So no, placing the books next to each other is not the same as gluing them
together. And aggregraton is not the same as creating a collective work.

As far as I'm given to understand anyway. Please correct me if needed.

--
Beiad Ian Q. Dalton

> 
> -- 
> Brian Kimball
> 
> 
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