On Thu, 5 Dec 2002 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > I have another GPL-related question. As I understand, authors > > (copyright holders?) may change license from GPL to other. How this actions > > is reactive? I mean: what will happen with previous and current program > > releases, which was under GPL and already widely distributed? > > My understanding of this (and I am neither a lawyer nor Richard Stallman, so > I am probably unqualified to give an opinion) is that the existing GPLled > distributions remain GPL. It's not retroactive.
This question is actually not releated to GPL in particular, but to licenses in general: If the license by itself permits, that the granted rights may be cancelled later on, you can change the license and at the same time cancelling the elder one, BUT I'm pretty sure that, if you do, and somebody is still continueing the elder release (where the elder license is enclosed), you'll have a hard time to find a judge, who sues this "somebody" for any different than to stop using it, when it is fairly understandable that this "somebody" may happen to not know of the license cancelling. (Note the basic: It's not a license _change_, but a _cancel_ of a license) The GPL in particular does not include any paragraphe that allows to withdraw the license, hence, any source that is GPL'ed remains GPL'ed forever, BUT the _original_ author of a line of code may _re-release_ this same line under another license; which is not to "change" the license of an "existing" product, but to "emit" the product "anew". However, it was discussed earlier often enough, once a project has more than one author, incl. by receiving patches or code-near help, you get into trouble to release the code under another license, because you have to get permission of everyone, who was involved. Bye, -- Steffen Kaiser ---------- list options/archives/etc.: http://www.topica.com/lists/fd-dev unsubscribe: send blank email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Rv5.bbRv4l.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
