Question about GPL with exception

[John Cowan]

arnaud.quette at mgeups.com scripsit:

> 3) We want to be sure that we can continue using the code given under GPL
> in our existing and future proprietary developments without making those GPL.
> Is the exception mentionned, in the attached header, sufficient to guarantee
> this ?

You don't need to grant permission to yourself: you are the copyright
owners, and you can do whatever you want with your own code.  However,
when you accept patches or modules from outsiders, you will need them to
transfer copyright to you in accordance with local law.  (In the U.S.,
at least, no particular form is required, but the transfer must be
in writing.)  This is the procedure that the Free Software Foundation
uses in order to insure a single copyright owner for a given application.

So you can use the straight GPL with no exception, and just include a
file with the distribution explaining how to sign over copyright to you,
and of course disclosing that you may make proprietary use of their changes.

IANAL, TINLA.

-- 
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   things are just as they are;         http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
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   things are just as they are.         jcowan at reutershealth.com
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