[License-review] For Approval: GPL-3+-with-whonix-additional-terms - GPLv3 with improved, legal protections as per GNU GPL version 3 section 7

[Richard Fontana]

On Sun, Mar 17, 2019 at 3:23 AM Patrick Schleizer <adrelanos at riseup.net> wrote:

> Does any quote "supplement the terms" as per GPLv3 clause "7. Additional
> Terms." result in a difference license?
>
> Is it possible to quote "supplement the terms" as per GPLv3 clause "7.
> Additional Terms." without creation of a different license?

Perhaps this is not a helpful way to look at the issue. In a sense,
sure, you have drafted a new license by supplementing the terms of
GPLv3 with some additional restrictions (maybe in a way which is
consistent with the text of GPLv3, maybe in a way which the FSF would
tolerate or approve, maybe not).

But if OSI starts reviewing for approval GPLv3 additional terms, that
may result in a proliferation of such license approval submissions,
and use of such terms in the first place, which may not be something
we want to encourage. I'm not saying your terms are guilty of this,
but there's a history of misuse of the GPLv3 section 7 mechanism
(principally in the badgeware setting). I could see the point of
having the OSI consider a widely-used set of GPLv3 additional terms,
but as I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong) what you've submitted
isn't in actual use anywhere (rather, you've generalized or otherwise
modified some terms used by a couple of companies).

Richard