[sword-devel] Releasing application under swordGNU public license

[Kahunapule Michael Johnson]

Troy wrote:
>> Either way, just to clarify, SWORD is licensed under version 2.  We do
>> not add the common "or later" clause.  It seems odd to me that so many
>> projects effectively give GNU the right to license their software under
>> whatever future terms they want.  3 is still fairly controversial and
>> we've been happy with 2 for many years, so for now we're still version 2
>> (if that helps any).
>>     
My biggest concern with sticking to version 2 and not dual-licensing
with GPL version 3 is that the code in the project may become less and
less useful to other GPL projects that have moved to GPL version 3. What
harm would come of allowing the code to be licensed under GPL version 2
or GPL version 3, at the user's option? That still doesn't give all
power to GNU to do anything they want in the future, but it would help
build a bridge to future GPL projects that prefer version 3. GPL version
3 is a better defense against software patent problems than version 2.

-- Just my 5 toia's worth of input. (The 2 toia coin is no longer legal
tender in Papua New Guinea.)

Michael
(Whose only contributions to the Sword Project have been Public Domain
code and text, anyway.)