[sword-devel] Copyright warning

[Jerry Hastings]

I like your generous warning, Don. However, one can not reproduce or 
distribute a GPL work in a proprietary form. So it would be good if "freely 
distributable under the GNU public license" would clearly convey the idea 
of complying with the terms of the license. The license is shown in a 
scrollable window in next screen. But most people probably just skip it 
without scrolling.

There is another issue. If this only applied to the program and not the 
modules, things are simple. But if the program and modules are being 
installed together, one may think that the GPL applies to program and 
modules. However, modules are a problem. Some have no license, such as the 
locked ones, big problem. Some are PD, no problem. Some are licensed as 
non-commercial use only. There is even one module that combines PD portions 
with portions licensed for non-commercial use only.

Anybody have an idea for addressing that?

One thought would be to add something to the warning message we have been 
discussing, to indicate that the modules carry various licenses and that 
terms for copying and distributing vary from license to license.

Jerry

At 02:25 PM 2/13/2002 -0600, Don A. Elbourne Jr. wrote:
>Am I missing something? I thought the thing was free to distribute under the
>GNU license or whatever it is called. How about something like this:
>
>--------------------
>WARNING: This program is freely distributable under the GNU public license.
>Encouraged reproduction or distribution of this program, or any portions
>of it, may result in the spreading of God's Word unto the uttermost parts of
>the earth.
>--------------------
>
>
>by grace alone,
>
>Don A. Elbourne Jr.
>http://elbourne.org