Must the copyright owner release GPLv3 derivative works?

[Walter van Holst]

On 9/8/07, Mick Semb Wever <mick at wever.org> wrote:
>
>
> --I'm new to this so forgive me if this is a silly question--


The silliest questions are those who are never asked.

Given a company dual-licenses a product, for which it holds copyright to,
> under the GPLv3 and a commercial license, must they release all of their
> own derivative works under the GPLv3?


As long as that company is the sole copyright holder or gets permission from
all other copyright holders, there is no requirement to release all of its
derivative works under the GPLv3.


Also, if all derivative works based upon the GPLv3 offering must remain
> licensed under the GPLv3, can derivative works based upon the commercial
> license offering remain private?


Exactly.


>
> One of the company's customers having obtained all the modules under the
> commercial license writes a module D which is a derivative work of C.
> This customer maintains copyright on module D.
> And/Or this customer keeps the source code to module D private.
>

That would be correct, yes.

Regards,

 Walter
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