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| Newer page: | version 10 | Last edited on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 8:46:55 pm | by zcat(1) | Revert |
| Older page: | version 9 | Last edited on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 8:43:29 pm | by zcat(1) | Revert |
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My understanding of the legal situation is based on that article and the GPL FAQ, although I have made some corrections to what I originally wrote here, and I'm assuming this will get covered at the next meeting. The GPL grants you a licence to make copies, you own everything but the copyright to it so the right to do anything else with the software (run it, modify it, etc) is assumed. Microsoft's EULA grants you permission to run software, and the software itself (the copy in your posession) remains the property of Microsoft. Microsoft's license is only a licence if it grants permission to do something you couldn't normally do.. in this case it grants you permission to use software you do not own.
Car analogies;
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I buy a car from Toyota. Toyota still own the copyright (I can't make a knock-off Toyota clone) but I own the physical car outright. I can take it to any mechanic, change my own oil and sparkplugs, add after-market parts like a racing engine, spoiler and green neon lights. I can also take it apart and find out how everything works, sell it to someone else, turn it into funky modern art by impaling it on a large metal spike, or whatever else without having to go back to Toyota and ask their permission.
+I buy a car from Toyota. Toyota still own the copyright (I can't make a knock-off Toyota clone) but I own the physical car outright. I can take it to any mechanic, change my own oil and sparkplugs, add after-market parts like a racing engine, spoiler and green neon lights. I can also take it apart and find out how everything works, sell it to someone else, turn it into funky modern art by impaling it on a large metal spike, or whatever else without having to go back to Toyota and ask their permission.
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I buy a GPL car (from Richard, or from someone who used Richard's plans to build it) and I still own the car. I can do all the same things that I could do with the Toyota. Richard still owns the copyright, but he's granted a licence for anyone to build their own car using (or based in part on) his plans. The only restriction is that if you sell or give your car to someone else they get a copy of the plans and the same permission.
+I buy a GPL car (from Richard, or from someone who used Richard's plans to build it) and I still own the car. I can do all the same things that I could do with the Toyota. Richard still owns the copyright, but he's granted a licence for anyone to build their own car using (or based in part on) his plans. The only restriction is that if you sell or give your car to someone else they get a copy of the plans and the same permission.
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I go see Bill. He won't sell me the car but I can rent it for life for about the same amount of money. The physical car is parked in my garage, but I'm not allowed to take the car apart and find out how it works because it's not mine. I'm only allowed four passengers at most, and the next time I need an oil change Bill reserves the right to add GPS tracking and a remote engine dissabler if he decides that's necessary. Bill still owns both the copyright and the car itself.
+I go see Bill. He won't sell me the car but I can rent it for life for about the same amount of money. The physical car is parked in my garage, but I'm not allowed to take the car apart and find out how it works because it's not mine. I'm only allowed four passengers at most, and the next time I need an oil change Bill reserves the right to add GPS tracking and a remote engine dissabler if he decides that's necessary. Bill still owns both the copyright and the car itself.
