For Approval: GPLv3

[Alexander Terekhov]

On 8/31/07, Richard Fontana <fontana at softwarefreedom.org> wrote:
> Matthew Flaschen wrote:
> > Chris Travers wrote:
> >> In other words, downstream users get their license from *me* for my
> >> code, not from other GPL licensors.  CHanging what you can do with *my*
> >> code is not allowed.
> >
> > Except it is allowed, in section 7.  Section 7 is not a mistake; it
> > means exactly what it says.  This is an exception to the broad
> > "Sublicensing is not allowed"
>  [...]
> >> However, at least the language is contradictory and confusing.
> >
> > There is a minor contradiction in wording, but it doesn't change the
> > legal effect.
>
> I don't think there is any contradiction in wording.

My, what a surprise.

> I think the source
> of some of the confusion here is that Chris (and perhaps some others in
> this discussion) seem to be giving "sublicense" a nonstandard
> definition.  If A, a copyright holder, conveys to B under the GPL +

Full stop right here. A, a copyright holder, "conveys" to B under BSDL
or some other non-GPL license. A, a copyright holder, just can't
become a party to licensing relationship (with C or whomever) under
GPL (plus whatever) terms. The terms A set is BSDL or some other
non-GPL license, and nothing else.

> additional permission, and B conveys to C without modification but
> removes the additional permission (which, it may be noted, is authorized
> by the terms of GPLv3), B is not "sublicensing" to C, because no rights
> to the code are coming from B; they continue to pass directly from A.

but under BSDL and not GPL, oh paragon of legal intelligence.

regards,
alexander.