Re: Ada in Debian: most libraries will switch to the pure GPL in Etch

["Ludovic Brenta" <ludovic@ludovic-brenta.org>]

Georg Bauhaus wrote :
> Does someone know whether the right to use something is the
> same as a license, and on what continent, or island?

The right to use falls outside of the scope of copyright law. Copyright
law only deals with the right to copy, modify and redistribute. This is
explained in the preliminary notes of the GPL.

If a licensor wants to restrict or control usage of their software, the
only way they can do this is by signing a contract with the licensee.

For example, Java's license has, or used to have, a clause that forbids
use in the nuclear industry or in life-critical applications. Such
clause is null and void from a legal perspective, because the licensor
has no right to control or restrict usage of their software, but only
copying, modification, and distribution. (there are of course good
technical reasons why only a pointy-haired manager would use Java in
life-critical applications, but that's not the point).

-- 
Ludovic Brenta.