> > or what > > would happen if the FSF or RMS decided to make all GCC code base > > proprietary (my limited understanding is that RMS or the FSF could > > relicense GCC under a non-GPL compatible license). > > This turns out not to be the case. The language of the copyright > assignment says clearly that that is not permitted.
Not only that, but the owner of the code being assigned is granted a right back from the FSF to use that code in any way they choose, so they can feel free to assign another copy of it to some other entity or distribute it to anybody under any conditions they choose. > There is no unlimited liability in the copyright assignment, either in > words or in action. There is in terms of the indemnification, as was discussed up-thread.