Re: Software Licenced Under a Specific Version of GPL
On Fri, 31 Aug 2001, Andrew McMillan wrote:
> My belief is that the best approach would be to have
> /usr/share/common-licenses/GPL symbolically linked in a manner similar to
> library versions. This will mean that someone wishing to specify a
> particular version of the GPL can do so by a further symlink to the correct
> version.
>
> I can't see that this either (a) makes things worse, (b) is hard, or (c) is
> unreasonable.
>
> To make it happen you should file a wishlist bug against the package which
> provides the GPL, asking it to provide it as a versioned file and symlink
> /usr/share/common-licenses/GPL to the most recent version.
As of today, there is only one GPL file. In my opinion it's soon for that.
However, if you insist that this has to be done now, then please get
policy changed first. For example:
"packages under `GPL or later' should refer to the latest GPL version
which is always at [current location], packages under a specific version
of GPL should refer to the exact license under /usr/share/common-licenses
if it still exists, or include the complete text of the GPL version under
which they are distributed if it does no longer exists"
[ Perhaps the same could be said for the LGPL licenses ].
I would not object to a policy proposal like that.
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