Re: Debian and copyrights

[Edmund GRIMLEY EVANS <edmundo@rano.org>]

Matthew Palmer <mjp16@ieee.uow.edu.au>:

> If the author had accepted patches from others to version 1, he would be
> stuck with keeping later versions under the GPL unless he got a licence
> change OK'd by each of the contributors, or removed the contributed code. 

However, check the licence on the reiserfs stuff: Hans Reiser' writes
something to the effect that if you send him stuff he will assume you
are licensing him to do what he wants with it, including use it in
non-free releases, unless you say otherwise.

> Note that, if the code was removed and re-written, the original author would
> have to be very careful, because he would be 'tainted' by knowledge of the
> original implementation.

People sometimes really exaggerate this "taintedness" doctrine.

Edmund