[sword-devel] Question about Public Domain

[Ben Morgan]

Public domain is not a license. It just means that you let *anyone* use it
*however* they want. You are basically saying "I don't claim copyright on
this". However, if your code links to a GPLv2 product, then that combination
has to be available under the GPLv2. So if you make SB public domain, anyone
could take out all sword references and replace them with something else,
and sell it commercially. But as long as you distibute it linked to SWORD,
you have to provide source code.

God Bless,
Ben
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Multitudes, multitudes,
   in the valley of decision!
For the day of the LORD is near
   in the valley of decision.

Giôên 3:14 (ESV)



On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 5:16 AM, mmital <mital.manu at gmail.com> wrote:

> Chris,
>
> Thanks. That answers the question (that is, SB frontend *has* to continue
> under v2 of GPL).
>
> So I guess I need to contact the third party author and send him this list
> of compatible licenses:
> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#GPLCompatibleLicenses (asking
> him to look at the ones that are compatible with version 2 GPL)
>
> If the third party code license can fit anything in the above list, then I
> think I can use it.
>
> mmital
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 3/16/09, Chris Little <chrislit at crosswire.org> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> DM Smith wrote:
>>
>>> mmital wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>  I have been using Alkitab bible study lately. Fantastic piece of
>>>> software, truly amazing.
>>>>  I also noticed that it is in public domain, while using sword engine
>>>> that is in GPL v2, and other components that may have their own license (
>>>> http://www.kiyut.com/products/alkitab/LICENSE-alkitab.txt)
>>>>  My question is: Am I permitted to release future versions of SwordBible
>>>> under public domain? The reason is that I want to continue to use the sword
>>>> library that is under GPL, while also making use of third party components
>>>> that may not be under GPL (with the permissions from their respective
>>>> copyright holders).
>>>>  Can this be done? Thanks for the clarifications.
>>>>
>>> I can't answer for the SWORD library.
>>>
>>
>> You probably could have spoken for The SWORD Project. :) But I'll make it
>> explicit.
>>
>> Sword (the C++ library) is GPLv2 only (not GPL3, not PD, not BSD, etc.)
>> and any software using Sword must, obligatorily be GPLv2. Personally, I like
>> GPLv2 and wouldn't want us to change, but we're at a point where it's not
>> even a choice that is open to us. We use code from 3rd parties that is GPL
>> licensed, so we are as much obliged to use GPLv2 for Sword as you and other
>> front end authors are obliged to use GPLv2 if you use Sword.
>>
>> I recognize that there are those who would like other licenses for very
>> valid reasons, but it's really not an option to Sword to license under
>> licenses other than GPL.
>>
>> --Chris
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.crosswire.org/pipermail/sword-devel/attachments/20090317/4ba3acef/attachment-0001.html>