From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S261822AbULUSFg (ORCPT ); Tue, 21 Dec 2004 13:05:36 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S261823AbULUSFg (ORCPT ); Tue, 21 Dec 2004 13:05:36 -0500 Received: from gate.firmix.at ([80.109.18.208]:18914 "EHLO gate.firmix.at") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S261822AbULUSF2 (ORCPT ); Tue, 21 Dec 2004 13:05:28 -0500 Subject: Re: Linux 2.6.9 and the GPL Buyout From: Bernd Petrovitsch To: "Jeff V. Merkey" Cc: Linux Kernel ML In-Reply-To: <41C84B2B.4050408@gadugi.org> References: <20041220212723.GA8634@mail.gadugi.org> <1103578975.6142.45.camel@wookie-zd7> <20041220214748.GA8828@mail.gadugi.org> <1103621128.31663.6.camel@tara.firmix.at> <41C84B2B.4050408@gadugi.org> Content-Type: text/plain Organization: http://www.firmix.at/ Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 19:05:21 +0100 Message-Id: <1103652322.9142.6.camel@gimli.at.home> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.0.2 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org On Tue, 2004-12-21 at 09:11 -0700, Jeff V. Merkey wrote: > A copyright holder can re-release their code under any license they > choose, even if ACK. For a given piece of code this means all copyright holders (not just one). > they have released under GPL previously. This is because GPL code > really isn't free, No, this has nothing to do with it. > it's owned by the copyright holder. And honestly, the way the GPL is That holds for all written works - text, music, source code, paintings, ... > worded it > in fact affects an implied transfer of copyright ownership to whomeve > receives it. Yes, and this is actually makes the GPL incompatible with Author's rights. However, you are allowed to transfer all rights of use of your works (which all the artist and programmers are doing) which is usually enough to satisfy the GPL. IANAL though (and this has not been tested in court AFAIK). And for the Linux kernel, Linus actually likes it that way AFAICT. > Truly free code isn't copyrighted by any individual, or is copyrighted > by an organization > that uses a license that really is free. That depends on the definition of "free" (and the goals of the defining parties) and there are more than one - e.g. behind the GPL and BSD license are different interpretationms of "free". Bernd -- Firmix Software GmbH http://www.firmix.at/ mobil: +43 664 4416156 fax: +43 1 7890849-55 Embedded Linux Development and Services