On 2004-10-18 22:58:58 +0100 Glenn Maynard <glenn@zewt.org> wrote:
"Sublicensing" is an uncommon practice in free software licenses, so we(debian-legal) don't have a very good understanding of what it is, howit works, and why it's used. Any input you can provide would be helpful.
Sublicensing means that you are still bound by the original licence, but you can offer any licence in the specified range to those you distribute to. The wording in the AFL looks like the range of permitted sublicences consists of only the AFL, but maybe I misunderstood it. I'm surprised if the author of the AFL thinks it can be replaced by any licence, as that would seem to be a trivial way to defeat its overbroad patent termination.
I think you are right that it's an unusual practice for free software, though, but I'm not a lawyer.
-- MJR/slef My Opinion Only and not of any group I know Creative copyleft computing - http://www.ttllp.co.uk/ Will HLF fund tree-killings? http://www.thewalks.co.uk/