BSD / GPL compatibility

David Johnson arandir at meer.net
Thu Feb 17 04:01:49 UTC 2000


On Wed, 16 Feb 2000, Ian Grigg wrote:

> I've never come across this term, and can't find any useful
> description on what it is from google.  If a "copyright license"
> is not a contract, what is it?  Do you have a reference to
> this concept?

I would consider a "copyright license" to be a copyright whose normal
restrictions have been loosened by the license. I believe that legally, a
license is an actual part of the copyright.

As for contracts, they can only exist through mutual and voluntary consent,
accompanied by a 'consideration'. It's very doubtful whether so-called
"one-click" licenses are actually contracts. It's also doubtful whether there
can be a contract in effect without two parties agreeing to. Since neither RMS
or any of his agents have made a verbal or written agreement with me, I am using
gcc under the terms of his copyright, and not as a contract.

 -- 
Arandir...
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http://www.meer.net/~arandir/



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