>If the code is licensed GPL, and you want to use it, why do you even care who owns the copyright? GPL protects the users' investments in that as a purchaser (

>If the code is licensed GPL, and you want to use it, why do you even care who owns the copyright? GPL protects the users' investments in that as a purchaser (there has to be a better word than purchaser here) of a derivative of GPL will have freedoms 0 through 3[1]. -- The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0). The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this. The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2). The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this. -- [1]