BSD-like licenses and the OSI approval process

dlw danw6144 at insightbb.com
Mon Oct 15 12:18:19 UTC 2007


>
> Question: what copyright license would still apply to "larger work"
> *as a whole* (in its entirety including all preexisting material
> retained in "larger work" )?
>
> Answer: both AntiGPL Version Zero covering my copyright *and* the BSD
> license which still covers all protected elements taken from
> BSD-licensed material.
You are correct.

When speaking of distributing derivative works you must distinguish 
among several cases:

Case(1)
The original author A modifies his own pre-existing work. In this case 
author A is the exclusive owner of the derivative work. Author A may 
license and distribute as he pleases.

Case(2)
The original author A has an original work modified by author B as a 
work for hire. Then author A is the exclusive
owner. Author A may license and distribute as he pleases.

Case(3)
The original author A authorizes author B to create a derivative work 
but there is no ownership agreement concerning the derivative work. 
Author A owns the pre-existing work and author B owns the modifications 
he contributes to the derivative work. Neither author may authorize 
distribution of the complete derivative work absent the contractual 
consent of the other author. 



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