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.
This commit is contained in:
Bradley M. Kuhn 2014-11-13 10:54:37 -05:00
parent 65179995e9
commit 065a88d180

View file

@ -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 Meanwhile, those who criticize the permission to link with code under the Affero
GPL should recognize that most other free software licenses also permit 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?} \section{GPLv3~\S14: So, When's GPLv4?}
\label{GPLv3s14} \label{GPLv3s14}