Re: Open Software License v2.1
Matthew Garrett <mgarrett@chiark.greenend.org.uk> writes:
> Bernhard R. Link <blink@informatik.uni-freiburg.de> wrote:
>> * Matthew Garrett <mgarrett@chiark.greenend.org.uk> [040915 19:31]:
>>> RMS is quoted as saying "Misusing a GPL-covered program permanently
>>> forfeits the right to distribute the code at all", which implies that
>>> the GPL doesn't protect the rights of people who have violated it in the
>>> past.
>>
>> The GPL still protects the rights of those, only not to this specific
>> code. You still have rights to use any other GPLed code, even from the
>> same author.
>
> So you'd have no objection to licenses which terminate the copyright
> license to that specific bit of code in the event of patent action? (The
> MPL is an example of one of these)
No. The GPL terminates only for non-compliance, and places no
restrictions beyond those imposed by law. That's free. Attempts to
bargain in a license, to say "I'll give you a license to this stuff,
but only if you give me a license to stuff you already own" are
non-free. All this messing about with termination clauses is just an
attempt to strike that bargain. It's a pretty fair bargain, too --
it's just not free.
I don't see any free way of terminating a license for reasons other than
non-compliance.
-Brian
--
Brian Sniffen bts@alum.mit.edu
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