Follow @Openwall on Twitter for new release announcements and other news
[<prev] [next>] [<thread-prev] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]
Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2012 20:08:14 +0400
From: Aleksey Cherepanov <aleksey.4erepanov@...il.com>
To: john-dev@...ts.openwall.com
Subject: Re: GPL license is not free at all

On Mon, Oct 01, 2012 at 09:53:27AM -0400, Rich Rumble wrote:
> On Mon, Oct 1, 2012 at 5:16 AM, Aleksey Cherepanov
> <aleksey.4erepanov@...il.com> wrote:
> > GPL is a copyleft license: it forces you to redistribute derivative
> > work under the same license. In GPL v2 it is expressed in section 4.
> 9 times out of 10... There appear to be exceptions.

I am not aware of any exceptions. The only possible exception I see is
an explicit additional clause to the license made by copyright
holders.

> > It means that you could not add any additional limitation of freedom.
> > Adding unrar with its limitation violates this.
> >
> > Does it make sense for you?
> Who knew freedom had so many restrictions!!

These GPL's restrictions are needed to protect freedom of every user.

> I've also read the
> GPLv(1,2,3) [copyleft]aren't as cut and dry as that because fair use
> and partial-copyleft allow exemptions to portions of code to be
> licensed separately. The lack of clarity is infuriating, in on breath
> I can see it as a violation then the next I have no idea... there are
> exceptions and allowances for dual-licenses, and linking code a
> certain way...

I agree that GPLs are hard to read. That is why Alexander Cherepanov
posted references to common reading of GPL regarding questions most
closest to our situation. I hope they are exhaustive and accurate.

> Better safe than sorry, change to some other (free)library seems to be
> the take away, because a lay person can't comprehend what looks to be
> a straight forward issue. I am that lay person, for others I'm sure
> it's cut and dry. I'm actually going to review my own code projects
> and switch licenses now, I've been too naive with regard to GPL
> licenses.

Maybe http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/copyleft.html would fill you with
spirit of protected freedom. ;-)


It is a pity that a lot work were done on top of non-free unrar. I am
sorry for not bringing this whole question earlier.

We like magnum and respect his efforts. And it would be a big pity to
drop his work. That is why Alexander Cherepanov proposed a plan how to
keep this work legal till format based on fully free unrar
implementation would be ready
(http://openwall.com/lists/john-dev/2012/09/29/20 ). Does it look good
for you?

Thanks!

-- 
Regards,
Aleksey Cherepanov

Powered by blists - more mailing lists

Confused about mailing lists and their use? Read about mailing lists on Wikipedia and check out these guidelines on proper formatting of your messages.