From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 1025b4,1d8ab55e71d08f3d X-Google-Attributes: gid1025b4,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,1efdd369be089610 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: dewar@merv.cs.nyu.edu (Robert Dewar) Subject: Re: what DOES the GPL really say? Date: 1997/07/05 Message-ID: #1/1 X-Deja-AN: 254824122 References: <33B2ABA6.2A44C487@link.com> <33B2EC92.228@does.not.exist.com> <6Zny2hdEcsB@khms.westfalen.de> Organization: New York University Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada,gnu.misc.discuss Date: 1997-07-05T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: Kai said <<> I am writing a program > I could simplify my job if I could use this code > However, this code is copyrighted > I do not have permission to copy the code > Therefore I cannot use it How about a compromise solution? "The GPL doesn't allow me to use the code in this specific context." Because that's what the GPL does, allowing people to use the code in specific contexts. >> I see no reason for a "compromise" here, because there is nothing in need of a compromise agreement! My formulation above is by far the clearest way of stating things. It is true that the GPL does not allow you to use the code in this particular context. It is also true that the declaration of independence does not allow you to use it, and even more relevant that the Berne convention does not allow you to use it. The point of stating things the way I did is to emphasize that the situation in this case (wanting to use the code in your proprietary program) is no different than it would be with any other copyrighted code. Sure, i understand that people somehow think that because the code is copylefted (a confusing and unofficial term) they should be able to use it, but that is just confusion. Saying the GPL does not allow you to use it sounds like the GPL is somehow stopping you from using it. Which gives *entirely( the wrong impression. Perhaps you could say The GPL does not give me permission to use this code. But the trouble with any of these formalations is that it tends to result in a situation where people regard GPL'ed code as somehow particularly unusable (note the tone of Wes Groleau's comments -- his management says: you can't use GPL'ed code -- what his management SHOULD be saying is simply that he cannot use any copyrighted code without permission of the copyright holder -- there is nothing special about GPL'ed code in this regard. And yes, people do risk their jobs if they improperly use copyrighted code, and reasonably so, copyright is the law of the land whether you like it or not!