Convert GPL to MPL

[Philippe Verdy]

Arnoud Engelfriet [mailto:arnoud at engelfriet.net]
> If I translate Shakespeare into Dutch, I fully own that translation
> despite the fact that the English original is public domain.

You own only the translation, not the text itself or other derivative works
such as adaptations to the cinema that your translation would have
influenced but none of your sentences are kept. The base work still belongs
to Shakespeare, which has fallen to the public domain. And you can't claim
anything on other derived works based on Shakespeare work, or other
independent translations to Dutch of the same work.

So you don't FULLY own the translation. Your fast reinterpretation of what
is ownership would allow all abuses of copyright. Even the public domain of
Shakespeare work does not give you any ownership on the work that is still
present in your translation, it just gives you an unlimited usage right, but
you can't claim being the author of that work without abusing the rights of
all other readers and publishers of that work.

However, you can fully own the preface that you could add to the
translation, and you have the right to sign it with your name. If you
publish your translation, you MUST also cite Shakespeare as the original
author, and you must provide the original title in the attribution page,
even if you change/translate the title for your book, or add a subtitle.

Your translation work becomes a combined work, from multiple authors
including you, but not only you.