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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: Licensing alternative
From:       Andreas Pour <pour () mieterra ! com>
Date:       2000-01-26 17:00:31
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Roberto Alsina wrote:

> On Wed, 26 Jan 2000, Bernhard Rosenkraenzer wrote:
>
> > On Wed, 26 Jan 2000, Roberto Alsina wrote:
> >
> > > > No! Every author is free to use any license text he/she wishes.
> > >
> > > Just keep in mind that the GPL is not under a free license itself.
> > > That is, you can't modify the text of the GPL.
> >
> > That's not quite true. You can use GPL-derived licenses.
>
> Right below the copyright notice:
>
> "
>  Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies
>  of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.
> "

You are not allowed to change the text of the GPL and distribute it as the
GPL.  However, you are allowed to say "I apply the GPL to this work, except
for these changes to that text:  [ LIST OF CHANGES]".  You see, the
restriction on changing the GPL is a copyright restriction -- you can't create
a derived work of the text of the GPL and distribute it.  However, by applying
the GPL to something, you are not making a derived work of the GPL text, you
are applying its concepts, and those aren't protected (nor can they be in a
public document).  You may think of it as the difference between taking a
book, changing it a bit and redistributing it, which you can't do, and saying
"I liked that book except for these parts", which you can do.

Ciao,

Andreas

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