(L)GPL remarks and FreeGIS licensing

Niall Douglas s_fsfeurope2 at nedprod.com
Tue Aug 12 19:54:09 UTC 2003


On 12 Aug 2003 at 16:26, Bernhard Reiter wrote:

> If we do not defend our freedom it will slowly be taken away.
> As author of software you have the right to decide on its license. The
> Free Software community (which included much more than the FSF or the
> people of the GNU project) has been using copyleft for about 15 years
> now and it is a sensible and viable concept.

What do we think about IBM's first legal test of the GPL in their 
case against SCO?

My own opinion is given recent historical judgements by US courts 
with regard to similar issues, it does not bode well. The fact the 
GPL has the sweeping power it does it because it can be interpreted 
in so many ways ie; it's not been fixed.

And you can just bet that all those cash-strapped technology ventures 
being consolidated in silicon valley right now (many of whom are 
doing far less ethical things than SCO, but it's just not reported 
widely) will be watching for any loopholes which may be opened by 
this case.

Cheers,
Niall



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