With regards to what has been said, the GPLv2 gives the end user the right to both modify the software and, if certain conditions are met, distribute the software. It does NOT change the fact that all the contributors actually own the copyright on the software, or it appears in FlightGears' case, a lot of different people own the copyright to the software.
In either case we need a system where we either start tracking who owns what copyrights in different parts of the software, or assigning the copyright to FlightGear while ensuring the contributors have all the rights they would otherwise have. The reason for this, which I didn't state, is so we are better prepared to protect our software from people who may violate the GPL down the distribution line. If someone modifies FlightGear and obfuscates the copyright, that's a clear violation of the GPL - copyrights must be intact under the license. Now, let's say someone takes parts of the FG source code for inclusion in a proprietary, closed-source product, and the copyright is NOT consolidated. Let's assume I track down the problem - now I have to track down the copyright holder of the code which was used in that piece of software and get them to enforce their own license. Not everyone would be willing to do that. If everyone consolidates their copyrights under FlightGear, that violation is much easier to enforce. However, "FlightGear" would need to be a legal entity in this case. I'm not sure how to do that, but I can do the research. If you'd like a read, check section 2.3: http://www.softwarefreedom.org/resources/2008/foss-primer.html#x1-70002.2.1 Cheers John ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Verizon Developer Community Take advantage of Verizon's best-in-class app development support A streamlined, 14 day to market process makes app distribution fast and easy Join now and get one step closer to millions of Verizon customers http://p.sf.net/sfu/verizon-dev2dev _______________________________________________ Flightgear-devel mailing list Flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-devel
