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Please see my reply to alain94040 to see if it changes your perception of my situation. In the BSD Unix case, do they distribute the project history with the p

by ISL 12y ago

Please see my reply to alain94040 to see if it changes your perception of my situation. In the BSD Unix case, do they distribute the project history with the project, where one might roll back to a version containing a 'significant' part of AT&T Unix and compile? If that works for them, it'll almost certainly be sufficient for me.

dalke 12y ago
If you're going to ask a question, then ask the real question. Don't make up a question because you think it's the same thing as your actual question. Otherwise you'll waste people's time because they are answering the question you asked - regarding a single line - rather than the question you mean - several files of GPL code. I gave three answers. The BSD one was the second. My third answer, regarding "mere aggregation" should suffice. The GPL says: > A compilation of a covered work with other separate and independent works, which are not by their nature extensions of the covered work, and which are not combined with it such as to form a larger program, in or on a volume of a storage or distribution medium, is called an “aggregate” if the compilation and its resulting copyright are not used to limit the access or legal rights of the compilation's users beyond what the individual works permit. In a court of law, should this be taken to trial, can you demonstrate that the historical code is not combined with other code to form software which is not compatible with the GPL? If so, you're free and clear. You elsewhere asked: > So, if I distribute GPL code in a project's history as documentation, but not in the final version, am I required to license my life's work as GPL, and not BSD? NO! NO!, and NO! As alain94040 wrote, "The GPL is not that contagious". The resulting program produced must be redistributable under the GPL. You control the copyright to your code. You can have it be whatever you want. The GPL is only enforced upon the production of a program, and only because the GPL component is part of the result. So long as the resulting program can be redistributed by downstream users under the GPL, there's no problem. You can put the code in the public domain, or the MIT license, or the Apache license, or anything else which is compatible with the GPL. It's your code and your copyright.
- ISL 12y ago
  Awesome. Thank you for the added insight!

by ISL 12y ago

dalke 12y ago

If you're going to ask a question, then ask the real question. Don't make up a question because you think it's the same thing as your actual question. Otherwise you'll waste people's time because they are answering the question you asked - regarding a single line - rather than the question you mean - several files of GPL code. I gave three answers. The BSD one was the second. My third answer, regarding "mere aggregation" should suffice. The GPL says: > A compilation of a covered work with other separate and independent works, which are not by their nature extensions of the covered work, and which are not combined with it such as to form a larger program, in or on a volume of a storage or distribution medium, is called an “aggregate” if the compilation and its resulting copyright are not used to limit the access or legal rights of the compilation's users beyond what the individual works permit. In a court of law, should this be taken to trial, can you demonstrate that the historical code is not combined with other code to form software which is not compatible with the GPL? If so, you're free and clear. You elsewhere asked: > So, if I distribute GPL code in a project's history as documentation, but not in the final version, am I required to license my life's work as GPL, and not BSD? NO! NO!, and NO! As alain94040 wrote, "The GPL is not that contagious". The resulting program produced must be redistributable under the GPL. You control the copyright to your code. You can have it be whatever you want. The GPL is only enforced upon the production of a program, and only because the GPL component is part of the result. So long as the resulting program can be redistributed by downstream users under the GPL, there's no problem. You can put the code in the public domain, or the MIT license, or the Apache license, or anything else which is compatible with the GPL. It's your code and your copyright.

ISL 12y ago
Awesome. Thank you for the added insight!