[sword-devel] Fwd: GPL and other license related questions

[peter]

As someone who does not code, but is a translator only, can I say something:

I am delighted that this project is GPL. It allows me to do all those
things any "gratis but unfree" license so commonly used by others does
not.Often

As a church we can distribute Sword software and target specifically our
people, by contributing to translation, by packaging with the modules we
think are important for our lot even by re-branding if we needed to do
so (we don't). In no other projetc would we have the freedom simply to
do this without asking.

In negotiations about (module) licenses the openness of the software is
an enormous boon - by telling people the advantages we as a church gain
from the GPL and explaining that they would have them too for their own
endeavours I have so far always got a listening.

The GPL is why I am here and not e.g. at e-sword.


Greg Hellings wrote:
> Jonathan,
> 
> On Jan 27, 2008 4:19 PM, jonathon <jonathon.blake at gmail.com> wrote:
> <snip>
> 
> Yes, all of that is true and fine - the GPL satisfies all of those
> requirements.  As do others, like the LGPL and similar licenses.
> 
>> Both the GPL and LGPL allow for commercial distribution.  Or
>> redistribution by those who want to take, but not give.  Basically,
>> there is nothing in the license used by The Sword Project, that
>> prohibits commercial distribution --- selling any of the front ends
>> that The Sword Project creates.
>>
>> AFAIK, e-Sword is the only Bible Study program that has a license that
>> explicitly prohibits commercial distribution.
> 
> I personally don't, and it doesn't sound like anyone else on the list
> does either, object to someone selling versions of the Sword library
> or its derivatives.  What we don't want to allow, but licenses in the
> vein of the LGPL allow (and I believe the wxWindows license and Python
> licenses as well - though I haven't read those), is someone to modify
> Sword code or Sword front-end code, and redistribute that as binary
> ONLY.  That is the reason the Sword project exists... to keep some
> sort of Bible software in the public's grasp that is available both
> gratis and libre.  If there are companies that wish to use commercial
> software, by all means let them license from Logos or from the author
> e-Sword to distribute modules, or from whatever other source they
> desire.
> 
> But the Sword project is GPL and will probably remain so, because it
> protects what Troy and those of us who have helped to contribute to
> his work desire to see in our own efforts in this software.
> 
> --Greg
> 
>> xan
>>
>> jonathon
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> sword-devel mailing list: sword-devel at crosswire.org
>> http://www.crosswire.org/mailman/listinfo/sword-devel
>> Instructions to unsubscribe/change your settings at above page
>>
> 
> _______________________________________________
> sword-devel mailing list: sword-devel at crosswire.org
> http://www.crosswire.org/mailman/listinfo/sword-devel
> Instructions to unsubscribe/change your settings at above page