Re: (L)GPLv3

[Andy Wingo <wingo pobox com>]

Greets :)

A couple points of clarification:

On Wed 14 Jul 2010 21:45, Christian Persch <chpe gnome org> writes:

> [In] copyright assignment, you don't have *any* guarantees about the
> terms the new 'owner' may choose to distribute your work under.

Not true! For example, when you assign to the FSF, the papers you sign
contain a number of guarantees. From an old version of the assignment
papers (you should contact the FSF if you are considering using this
language, as it might have been updated):

    4. FSF agrees that all distribution of the Works, or of any work
    "based on the Works", or the Program as enhanced by the Works, that
    takes place under the control of FSF or its agents or successors,
    shall be on terms that explicitly and perpetually permit anyone
    possessing a copy of the work to which the terms apply, and
    possessing accurate notice of these terms, to redistribute copies of
    the work to anyone on the same terms.  These terms shall not
    restrict which members of the public copies may be distributed to.
    These terms shall not require a member of the public to pay any
    royalty to FSF or to anyone else for any permitted use of the work
    they apply to, or to communicate with FSF or its agents or assignees
    in any way either when redistribution is performed or on any other
    occasion.

> Also, even if you do consider "or later versions" a significant
> risk, you should note that you've *already taken* this risk by using
> LGPL2.1-only, since LGPL2.1 allows using the work under GPL2 or any
> later version of the GPL.

Interesting, I was not aware of this. From the LGPLv2.1:

     3. You may opt to apply the terms of the ordinary GNU General Public
   License instead of this License to a given copy of the Library.  To do
   this, you must alter all the notices that refer to this License, so
   that they refer to the ordinary GNU General Public License, version 2,
   instead of to this License.  (If a newer version than version 2 of the
   ordinary GNU General Public License has appeared, then you can specify
   that version instead if you wish.)  Do not make any other change in
   these notices.

The LGPLv3 does not have that parenthetical statement. I don't know if
that changes things.

Josselin mentions the risks that might arise in specifying an "or later"
license. They are real, but can be mitigated via the proxy clause in the
(L)GPLv3.

     If the Program specifies that a proxy can decide which future
   versions of the GNU General Public License can be used, that proxy's
   public statement of acceptance of a version permanently authorizes you
   to choose that version for the Program.

Happy hacking,

Andy
-- 
http://wingolog.org/