David Schwartz wrote:
>
> > > You would need the FSF's permission to do that. An
> > > "amended GPL" would be a
> > > derived work from the GPL itself. The GPL itself is
> > > copyrighted. Only the
> > > copyright holder has the right to produce a derived work.
>
> > No you don't.
> > "This program is released under the GPL with the additional
> > exemption that
> > compiling, linking, and/or using OpenSSL is allowed."
>
> I guess I'm missing something. The problem is that the GPL says you can't
> put additional restrictions on people. The OpenSSL library does that. So the
> clause above doesn't address the problem.
>
> You would have to have something more like:
>
> "This program is released under the GPL, however the GPL's grant of the
> ability to distribute the code free of further restriction is amended to
> permit the placement of an advertising restriction."
>
> However, it really depends upon exactly what you're trying to do. If you
> want to GPL something that can use OpenSSL, I don't see a problem. The
> OpenSSL license places no restrictions on products that just use the OpenSSL
> API.
>
> If you want to actually incorporate OpenSSL code itself into a GPLed
> project, I think you're out of luck. Then OpenSSL library places
> restrictions that conflict with rights the GPL license explicitly grants
> you. I do not believe the FSF will allow you to amend the GPL to take away
> rights granted thereunder.
I'm starting to get really tired of this useless discussion.
I cannot imagine that it is the intent of the GPL to deny software
authors acknowledgement for their work. It is simply not conceivable
that this was what the FSF had in mind when they crafted the GPL.
The requirement that the OpenSSL Project be credited in any advertising
for products incorporating OpenSSL is *not* a restriction in any
useful sense of the word. Why would anybody not want to credit the
OpenSSL Project for their work? If RMS or anybody else thinks this
issue
is worth arguing about, they have way too much time on their hands!
Ignore them!
There's code to write, people! Microsoft's legions continue to toil
away in their dungeons. You may rest assured that they do not worry
about obscure license clauses that get trampled underfoot.
What's the goal here? Is it to produce software that doesn't suck?
Or is it to prove that somebody's wrong? I think it's the former.
Let's get on with it.
'Nuff said.
Paul Allen
--
Boeing Phantom Works \ Paul L. Allen, (425) 865-3297
Math & Computing Technology \ [EMAIL PROTECTED]
POB 3707 M/S 7L-40, Seattle, WA 98124-2207 \ Prototype Systems Group
---
Out from the shadows behind you pounces a bearded pirate! "Har, har,"
he chortles, "I'll just take all this booty and hide it away with me
chest deep in the maze!" -- Adventure, Crowther & Woods, 1976
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