5 Aug
2009
5 Aug
'09
11:17 p.m.
On Wednesday 05 August 2009 21:05:41 drew Roberts wrote:
Again, this was about some app that was already distributed.
Raymond
On Tuesday 28 July 2009 22:38:18 laseray(a)gmail.com
wrote:
This was all in the context of distribution. Perhaps this was not clear.
Whether he wanted to or not, use of GPL code
makes it GPL code.
I don't think this is correct. It would only mean that if he were not to
GPL the code he would be in violation of the original author's copyrights
(this is a generic he here and I am not speaking to this particular case as
I have not followed this closely enough.) If he did not want to GPL his own
code, he could stop distribution, work out another license with the
original author or any number of other things surely. He would still have
the already existing copyright violations to face should the original
author choose to persue them though. I think you
are thinking too much in the vain of convention copyrights. The code is
automatically GPL by way of use of other GPL code. It no longer is some
independent proprietary code solely belonging to the original copyright
holder once mixed together.
If I get the time, I seem to remember some FSF pages that disagree with
this and point rather to the thoughts I posted above but I am snowed under
at the moment.