From 065a88d180c53e823664d4a3d829815347952e14 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Bradley M. Kuhn" Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 10:54:37 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Incorporate pasted text re: AGPLv3/GPLv3 combos. This text was mostly useful as is. However, it failed to make a key point I've often made: that the combinations created by comingling AGPLv3'd code with GPLv3'd code may be difficult to disentangle, and thus in practice, it may turn out that such a combination effectively must be licensed as a whole under AGPLv3, even if technically some copyrights included therein are GPLv3'd. In practice, this nuance is only a technical barrier, since complying fully with AGPLv3 automatically complies with GPLv3. --- gpl-lgpl.tex | 19 ++++++++----------- 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-) diff --git a/gpl-lgpl.tex b/gpl-lgpl.tex index 71107bf..80f08ba 100644 --- a/gpl-lgpl.tex +++ b/gpl-lgpl.tex @@ -4071,18 +4071,15 @@ does not automatically apply to all GPLv3'd works. Meanwhile, those who criticize the permission to link with code under the Affero GPL should recognize that most other free software licenses also permit -such linking. +such linking. In particular, when a combined work is made by linking GPLv3-covered code +with AGPLv3-covered code, the copyleft on one part will not extend to the +other part. In such combinations, the Affero requirement will apply only to +the part originally brought into the combination under the Affero license. +In theory, those who receive such a combination and do not wish to use code +under the Affero requirement may remove the Affero-covered portion of the +combination. (Admittedly, in practice, de-mingling of combined code can be +technically difficult.) -%FIXME-URGENT: integrate -% A section on combinations with Affero is necessary anyway here. - -When a combined work is made by linking GPLv3-covered code with AGPL-covered -code, the copyleft on one part will not extend to the other part. That is to -say, in such combinations, the Affero requirement will apply only to the part -that was brought into the combination under the Affero license. Those who -receive such a combination and do not wish to use code under the Affero -requirement may remove the Affero-covered portion of the combination. -% FIXME-URGENT: end \section{GPLv3~\S14: So, When's GPLv4?} \label{GPLv3s14}