Re: One unclear point in the Vim license
Henning Makholm wrote:
> Scripsit Bram Moolenaar <Bram@moolenaar.net>
>
> > The problem with this is that it's not really fair towards people who
> > help me developing Vim. I want it to be clear what can happen with the
> > source code they contribute. Just mentioning that "anything can happen"
> > with the license isn't a good idea, in my opinion.
>
> Isn't that what you're doing with your "you MUST allow me to decide
> what I do with your modifications"?
The difference is that it's explicitly mentioned. If a program is
distributed under the GPL and there is no mentioning that the GPL might
be removed some day and who decides whether or not this happens, it's
very hard to actually remove the GPL then. People contributing to Vim
know that I can negotiate about what happens with a modified version. I
think that's fair. If it would say something like "the maintainer can
decide to remove the GPL for specific purposes", then it would be almost
the same. But I'm not sure if the GPL allows adding this condition (and
it's probably not right to say Vim is using the GPL then).
> > That's the same for Vim: Just tell me where I can find the source code.
>
> That is not what the license says. And in any case, this still puts a
> burden on modifiers to make sure that their modifications will exist
> SOMEWHERE indefinitely.
No, as soon as I have received the changes the conditions are met and
that person can delete his copy.
I think I already discussed the other items you mention, I don't want to
repeat myself.
Strange thing: When we started this discussion Debian said that the Vim
lincense is free and the FSF didn't. Now it seems it's the other way
around...
> You don't need a non-free license for that. Simply require that any
> distribution of modified binaries must *either* be accompanied with
> full source *or* follow whatever obnoxious rules you see fit to
> like. Then everybody would be happy.
Are you saying that when I add the option that a modified version of Vim
is accompanied by the changed source code, this would make the license
free? If so, can you explain why this makes a difference?
--
Back up my hard drive? I can't find the reverse switch!
/// Bram Moolenaar -- Bram@moolenaar.net -- http://www.moolenaar.net \\\
((( Creator of Vim -- http://vim.sf.net -- ftp://ftp.vim.org/pub/vim )))
\\\ Help me helping AIDS orphans in Uganda - http://iccf-holland.org ///
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