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Re: [ccp4bb] The CCP4 license is ambiguous |
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CCP4bb navigationCCP4bb <-- 2007 <-- July 2007 <-- 03 July 2007Subject: Re: The CCP4 license is ambiguous From: Michel Fodje michel {- dot -} fodje {- at -} LIGHTSOURCE {- dot -} CA Date: 2007-07-03 > Not at all. Consider all those users of GPL programs running on Windows. > The developers of cygwin, mplayer, etc have no right to redistribute > Windows itself. Programs running under windows are not derivative works of Windows otherwise software developers will require a license from Microsoft to develop windows software. Simply linking to system libraries does not make a program a derivative as far as the GPL is concerned. The only thing the GPL requires is that the users of the software receive the same rights to the software that you received > They do have the same rights. They can use it, modify it, and > redistribute it. They may or may not be permitted to distribute > 3rd party libraries with it, but that was true of the original > distributor also. The specific rights that must be transferred with the software are: 1 - The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0) 2 - The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this. 3 - The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2). 4 - The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this. If you distribute software that, in whole or in part does not convey all those freedoms, it is a violation of the GPL if you use GPL code in it. Unless of course you are the original author of all the GPL code, in which case it does not make sense to distribute it under the GPL. Distributing sofware under the GPL license implies that the recipients receive all those rights. > Well, there is of course one respect in which the rights are different. > The original author retains the copyright itself, and consequently > the right to issue other non-exclusive licenses. The recipient > of GPL code does not obtain a right to re-license. The GPL (CopyLeft) is only concerned about the 4 freedoms (rights) of users mentioned above. The rights of the author are taken care of by copyright law. /Michel CCP4bb navigationCCP4bb <-- 2007 <-- July 2007 <-- 03 July 2007 |
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