Re: Why licenses *are* free (was: Re: Why I don't share Manojs fears.
On Sat, Aug 15, 1998 at 01:54:50PM +0100, Jules Bean wrote:
> On Sat, 15 Aug 1998, Marcus Brinkmann wrote:
> >
> > * Deriving a new license from the GPL using the terms of the GPL is already
> > granted by common law. *
>
> This is the critical point. I was not aware of this fact. If it is true,
> then we should explain it somewhere (probably on the website, as well as
> in /usr/doc/copyright/README). Is it true in all jurisdictions that
> Debian is distributed in?
[...]
> > This would essentially be a free+(name change, remove non-technical part)
> > copyright, and it is exactly that what is already granted by law. It is not
> > necessary to include all permissions already granted by law in the license
> > text. For example, fair use is also not mentioned in the copyright
> > documents, but is granted anyway.
>
> True. But this hinges on the truth of your above statement. (Which I
> don't dispute, I just ask whether it's true everywhere).
A good question. International copyright law is hard, and I'll not claim any
knowledge on it. However, this was the essence of a mail by RMS (I posted
it several times the last months, and I quoted the relevant part in my reply
to Manoj), at least for the US.
I think people who argue that licenses have to be explicitely free are
playing devils advocate. (Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but at
some time one has to get reasonable).
Would somebody of these people care to explain why they want copyrights to
be free? They are no technical documents, and they are bound to the work
they protect.
If some people want to make an extra section for immuatble licenses, I'd
welcome their efforts under the premisse that they are doing all the work
involved. Furthermore I'd still object to put something else than licenses
and emails and some meta documents (essays, personal opinions) in this
section. Am I the only one who thinks that this is unnecessary work?
Thank you,
Marcus
--
"Rhubarb is no Egyptian god." Debian GNU/Linux finger brinkmd@
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