Re: A possible GFDL compromise

[Richard Braakman <dark@xs4all.nl>]

On Fri, Aug 29, 2003 at 10:29:55AM -0600, paul cannon wrote:
> Sort of the "tentacles of evil" thought exercise. This is what I was
> always worried about when seeing that phrase. Sort of seems like a back
> door being reserved.
> 
> Could this even happen?

I doubt it.  If someone tried it, it could be challenged under
GPL lause 9:

  9. The Free Software Foundation may publish revised and/or new versions
of the General Public License from time to time.  Such new versions will
be similar in spirit to the present version, but may differ in detail to
address new problems or concerns.

Since the GPL spends a fair amount of text on explaining the copyleft
concept, it's clear that effective-public-domain is not "similar in
spirit".  This would disqualify the GPLv4 from being a revised version
under clause 9, and it should be obvious that a license statement
that says "GPL v2 or any later version" means later versions as
defined in GPL v2.

Richard Braakman