Re: GPL V3 and Linux - Dead Copyright Holders

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Hi David!

On 27 Jan 2006, at 03:15, David Schwartz wrote:


Linus is posturing. I can go back to numerous previous versions when he
and stallman were "buddy buddy" and the language was open
and said "any later version". Well, here's the gotcha. Any version
released before Linus said this is GPL 2, 3 or later. As of today, all new versions are GPLv2. That's how the law works. So 2.6.15 forward is GPLv2
only. Linus cannot re-release previous Linux versions after he
already posted this NOTICE in COPYING, which he did and left the
language pen like this. So it's up to the recevier of the code whether its GPLv2 or GPLv3 or whatever, but those releases which appeared with
COPYING stating this language are whatever GPL license you
want.

Jeff

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. Read section 6
carefully:

  6. 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.  You may not impose any further
restrictions on the recipients' exercise of the rights granted herein.
You are not responsible for enforcing compliance by third parties to
this License.

Notice that the code is licensed to you by the "original licensor", not by the distributor. The inability to choose a later GPL version is definitely a
"further restriction".

	At least, that's how I read it.

Excuse my ignorant jumping into this thread. Correct me if I'm wrong: Linus takes code provided by others under "GPLv2 or any later version" and decides to comply to the rules of v2, which allow him to distribute the work under v2 only. Incidentally v2 is also the less strict than v3, so all Linus does is take the greatest freedom he is offered (and pass it on, of course).

The problem would start only if someone insisted on GPLv3 for his/her code and wanted to get it merged in Linus' tree. I think the only one to clarify this point is Linus, and he has already done so.

Ciao,
                    Roland

--
TU Muenchen, Physik-Department E18, James-Franck-Str., 85748 Garching
Telefon 089/289-12575; Telefax 089/289-12570
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	-Doug Gwyn
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