Open Euphoria Licence
There is an unresolved issue with GPL. It has to do with dynamically
linking/including code in mixed licencing scenarios.
Assuming that RDS goes for a GPL for Euphoria...
** does a non-GPL program that 'include's a Euphoria library have to also change
to a GPL licence?
** can a GPL program, such as RDS's own code, 'include' a non-GPL file?
The Free Software Foundation (who invented GPL) believe that any non-GPL program
that uses, or is used by, a GPL element must change to be become GPL too,
otherwise they are not allowed to use, or be used by, the GPL element.
Other experts disagree with this position. Some believe that using a GPL element
is not the same as modifying or translating the GPL element as the GPL element
itself is not changed in any manner.
As I say, this is unresolved and may be clarified when the GPL v3 is released
later this year. However, it may be better to adopt dual licences or a BSD type
of licence. The issue is whether RDS has problems with people taking their code,
modifying it and then not letting people access to their modifications when it is
distributed.
GPL tries to force every future modification to also be accessable to everyone.
BSD does not try to force this.
In all cases though,
** copyright is still with the actual author of the code, unless explicitly
transfered to a new owner.
** the licence type does not prohibit making a profit from any modification.
--
Derek Parnell
Melbourne, Australia
Skype name: derek.j.parnell
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