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Re: Licenses under GPL?



On Tue, 26 Jan 1999, Darren Benham wrote:

> 
> On 26-Jan-99 Jules Bean wrote:
> > It doesn't have to be.  The GPL could say, for example, 'this license
> > applies to the software which is put under it, as well as this document
> > itself, when it is distributed with the software'.
> > 
> > It doesn't, of course, say that.  And it doesn't with 'good' reasons,
> > which RMS has explained, and which I disagree with.  But I think we're
> > pragmatically going to have to live with. 
> > 
> 
> I'd be curious why.  If the GPL is GPL'd, I could take it, change it to, say,
> allow me to link with Qt (old) and viola, the whole KDE problem goes away...
> That's a bit simplistic but I think it gives you and idea on why I'm curious
> why/how licenses can be GPL-free.

You would be changing the text of a document.  You could then use that
document as a license on a work of yours.

You would not, however, be changing the license on a piece of work.  That
you simply can't do.

> 
> I can understand other freedoms (how about with a rename clause so that
> it's no longer GPL?). 

A rename clause would be a sensible precaution in a 'free' license.

Jules


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|  Jelibean aka  | jules@jellybean.co.uk         |  6 Evelyn Rd	       |
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|  Julian Bean   | jmlb2@hermes.cam.ac.uk        |  TW9 2TF *UK*       |
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|  War doesn't demonstrate who's right... just who's left.             |
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