GPL revokability

[Chuck Swiger]

On May 10, 2011, at 6:04 AM, Cinly Ooi wrote:
> The practical guy in me, and most software community has this policy: If you do not want me to use your code, then I will take it out, regardless of what the license actually says. Most of the time, alternatives are available and (in the case of larger project), it would not even be a hassle to write out your code. But note that this is voluntary on the part of the recipients.

Certainly.  While some code bases are more useful for a given situation than others, it's always possible to write your own version if you needed to (given sufficient time and resources).

> If the recipient really want to hold on to the code, then the copyright holder has to sue. IANAL but I am sure the recipient is going to point out that your license to him specifically said you had said that in the license, you will not rescind the grant for him to use the copyrighted stuff under dispute. You will have to get around this. Finally, I hope the judge and the jury is likely to hold you to that.

There's a legal doctrine governing that, discussed here:

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estoppel

Regards,
-- 
-Chuck