[Sugar-devel] [IAEP] ANNOUNCE: Moving Sugar to GPLv3+

[C. Scott Ananian]

On Fri, Apr 22, 2011 at 12:33 PM, Bernie Innocenti <bernie at sugarlabs.org> wrote:
> On Fri, 2011-04-22 at 16:45 +0100, Peter Robinson wrote:
>
>> >  We're not retroactively re-licensing existing code.
>>
>> Really? By moving to GPLv3 your removing the ability to use GPLv2
>> which is by definition a re-license of the code.
>
> Not really, this is a common misconception: redistributing code under
> later versions of the GPL is explicitly allowed by the current licensing
> terms (GPLv2 or later).
>
> If it weren't the case, then we'd have to ask for permissions to all
> copyright holders, which includes present and past contributors of
> legally relevant portions of the code. What constitutes a "legally
> relevant" portion is a matter of infinite arguments between copyright
> lawyers.

Yes, you seem to be confused Bernie.  You can redistribute under a
license however you like, usually without explicitly stating it.  But
if you alter the source files or replace COPYING, you are *changing
the license*.  That is a different act.

A more passive-aggressive means to your end might be to announce that
SugarLabs will only accept new contributions which are licensed
GPLv3+.  That will effect the redistribution change you want, while
still (a) pissing off parts of the community, and (b) not illegally
altering the license on code you do not own.
 --scott

-- 
      ( http://cscott.net )