Re: [Freemind-developer] GPL 3+
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From: Dan P. <dan...@gm...> - 2010-12-03 12:16:38
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Hello Dimitry, regarding the use of Apache Commons Lang (http://commons.apache.org/lang/, licensed under Apache 2.0) in FreeMind core: I did not realize this was the case. On one hand, that is not so nice: it means that even a minimal distribution of FreeMind has to make use of GPL V3 present in GPL V2+. OTOH, licensing FreeMind core under GPL V2+ has still the advantage that anyone can take a method or a class from the core and use it in a program licensed under GPL V2, perhaps in a modified form. Be it as it may, even the use of Apache Commons Lang in FreeMind core creates no licensing incompatibility as far as I can see, because of the presence of GPL V3 within GPL V2+. The migration from GPL V2+ to GPL V3+ would really be just dropping the "GPL V2" term from the open-ended sum "GPL V2 + GPL V3 + GPL V4 + ...", making it harder to take new changes to the code over to programs that are licensed only under GPL V2. What has been already released under GPL V2+ remains so; there is no way one can retract a license that one has already granted, as far as I know. On a related note, if you decide to integrate a GPL V3 component into Freeplane, be aware that you thereby constrain the resulting combination from GPL V3+ to GPL V3 without the plus, given the assumption that dynamic linking is permeable to GPL requirements. This assumption seems to be the position of FSF, but it is ultimately up to the courts to accept or reject the assuption. Best regards, Dan |