Re: [vox] need help: long boring question about the GPL

["Karsten M. Self" <kmself@ix.nMAPSetcom.com>]

on Wed, Oct 16, 2002, Bill Kendrick (nbs@sonic.net) wrote:
> On Wed, Oct 16, 2002 at 12:25:42PM -0700, Peter Jay Salzman wrote:
> > 
> > a. you're not allowed to distribute a modified version of the program
> >    without written consent of the authors.
> 
> This conflicts with the GPL.
> 
> 
> > b. you can't use the source code in any other commercial or public
> >    domain software.
> 
> This is the sticky part.  If you use GPL code in your own project,
> that project must also be GPL.  At the very least, this makes their
> comment about public domain (PD) software accurate, I believe.

GPL != public domain.

There is very little "public domain" software of any currency.
Virtually all of it is written directly by the US Federal Government,
owing to a quirk in US copyright law.  Authors "granting" software to
the public domain are very likely not in fact doing this, though
interpretation of such language may be largely equivalent from a
reserved rights standpoint.

IANAL, TINLA, YADA.

Peace.

-- 
Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com>        http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
 What Part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?
    On why IBM wins:  "IBM has been able to play the vendors off each
    other.  Sun and Microsoft hate each other, while Sun and Microsoft
    only hate IBM some of the time."
     -- James Governor http://news.com.com/2100-1001-912906.html?tag=fd_lede

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