From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S932496AbWA0Tve (ORCPT ); Fri, 27 Jan 2006 14:51:34 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S932497AbWA0TvL (ORCPT ); Fri, 27 Jan 2006 14:51:11 -0500 Received: from mail1.webmaster.com ([216.152.64.168]:11275 "EHLO mail1.webmaster.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S932496AbWA0TvH (ORCPT ); Fri, 27 Jan 2006 14:51:07 -0500 From: "David Schwartz" To: "Olivier Galibert" Cc: Subject: RE: GPL V3 and Linux - Dead Copyright Holders Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 11:50:43 -0800 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.6604 (9.0.2911.0) Importance: Normal In-Reply-To: <20060127133823.GB65793@dspnet.fr.eu.org> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2670 X-Authenticated-Sender: joelkatz@webmaster.com X-Spam-Processed: mail1.webmaster.com, Fri, 27 Jan 2006 11:47:29 -0800 (not processed: message from trusted or authenticated source) X-MDRemoteIP: 206.171.168.138 X-Return-Path: davids@webmaster.com X-MDaemon-Deliver-To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Reply-To: davids@webmaster.com X-MDAV-Processed: mail1.webmaster.com, Fri, 27 Jan 2006 11:47:35 -0800 Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org > On Thu, Jan 26, 2006 at 06:15:54PM -0800, David Schwartz wrote: > > Linus can't put additional restrictions on code he didn't > > write. If the > > authors licensed it under the GPL version 2 and "any later > > version", Linus > > can't re-release it under a more restrictive license. > Yes he can. No. He can't. > The authors licensed the code under _multiple_ licenses > (even if some do not exist yet, which can be amusing, legally), each > of the existing one(s) allowing redistribution if you accept it. Correct. However, all the GPL-based ones grant rights *automatically* upon distribution. "Each time you redistribute the Program (or any work based on the Program), the recipient automatically receives a license from the original licensor to copy, distribute or modify the Program subject to these terms and conditions" > He > does not have to accept _all_ of them to redistribute, _one_ of them > is enough. Correct. However, the recipient gets the benefit of all GPL-style licenses. That's what clause 6 says, particularly the "automatically" part and the "from the original licensor" part. > And none of them allow to put the code under a different > license, in contrast to say the LGPL. Correct. The grant of GPL license is automatic on distribution, and it is from the original author to the recipient. DS