[Blocks-development] Future GPL code in Blocks

[Michael S. <msp...@dp...>]

I remember I had once proposed that we include the GPG code in Blocks, so we
could do public-key crypto.

Blocks is public domain, not GPL.  GPG is GPL.

I wonder about the legality of making two 'packages' of Blocks:

One package is completely licensed under the GPL -- GPG and Blocks code.

Another package is public domain, but contains no GPG code -- merely stub
code that captures GPG calls and returns errors.

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Is this violating the GPL?  Is it wrong to offer the Blocks code under two
licenses:  public domain, for people who will not accept the GPL (and who
should not be licensed the GPG code) and GPL, for people who are willing to
accept the restrictions of the different license in exchange for being able
to use the GPG code?

Or more specifically...am I trying to be sneaky and use a loophole?  Or is
this in line with the intent of the GPL?

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Or to put it another way -- is it within my rights to re-license the
public-domain Blocks code as GPL?  This does *not* remove the existing
public-domain 'lack of license'...but if someone is willing to accept the
extra weight of the GPL, they can benefit from the extra GPL code included.

What do you guys think?

--Spence

(I know I've been quiet -- I've been working on reading through the Blocks
source code, starting with libsock and libblocks, as well as writing up
pseudocode for the network simulator.  The network simulator is going to be
interactive, because I'm not going to be able to think up every possible
scenario to throw at it.  I'll try to make the code readable enough that
coders can run their own simulations easily...but if you aren't a coder and
want to test a scenario, I'll run your scenario as soon as I can.  I am at
your disposal.)

(There is no code yet.  Just pseudocode.)