Re: Linux GPL and binary module exception clause?

[Andre Hedrick <andre@linux-ide.org>]

David,

For the simple folks like myself, please show me and everyone else where
the "contract" terms are specifically?  I am having a hard time seeing
them, and they exist and real, it should be pointed out clearly.

Cheers,

Andre Hedrick
LAD Storage Consulting Group

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003, David Woodhouse wrote:

> On Wed, 2003-12-10 at 07:11 -0800, Larry McVoy wrote:
> > You may license *your* work under whatever terms you want.  Those terms
> > can't extend to things that aren't your work in a copyright license.
> 
> Please elaborate. We're talking about a situation in which I grant a
> licence for you to copy and use my work, in exchange for something I
> desire from you. In the absence of a contract, this is limited to me
> effectively saying "You may copy and use my work if and only if you do
> XXX".
> 
> If you do not do 'XXX' then you may not use my work.
> 
> Are you saying that there are things which I may not ask for? Could you
> elaborate?
> 
> Certainly criminal law prohibits me from actually inciting you to murder
> by really asking for the sacrifice of your first-born; I'll grant you
> that one.
> 
> But what's wrong with postcardware, where I ask you to send me a
> postcard in exchange for permission to use my work?
> 
> What's wrong with shareware, where you have permission to copy my work
> and use it for evaluation purposes, but you're asked to pay me if you
> continue to use it?
> 
> What's wrong with a licence which requires you to bathe daily in
> creosote in order to receive my permission?
> 
> What's wrong with a licence on my software which requires you to
> relinquish copyright on any musical score you ever write?
> 
> What's wrong with a licence which requires you to release any unrelated
> software you ever write under the same licence?
> 
> It may be increasingly unlikely that you'll _accept_ some of the above
> licences, but there's no fundamental problem with them.
>  
> > You need a contract to do that and even then there are limits to what
> > you can do.
> 
> I need a contract to force you to do anything; this is true.
> 
> Without a contract, all I can do if you don't abide by my conditions is
> observe that you don't have my permission to copy my work, and hence
> that if you do so you are committing a criminal offence.
> 
> -- 
> dwmw2
> 
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