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Merge in text and do rewrites for description of GPLv3§4.

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Bradley M. Kuhn 2014-03-20 12:33:49 -04:00
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gpl-lgpl.tex
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@ -2698,8 +2698,32 @@ users who escape technical restriction measures implemented by GPL'd
software.
\section{GPLv3~\S4: Verbatim Copying}
\label{GPLv3s4}
% FIXME: there appear to be minor changes here in later drafts, fix that.
GPLv3~\S4 is a revision of GPLv2\~S1 (as discussed in \S~\ref{GPLv2s1} of
this tutorial). There is almost no changes to this section from the
GPLv2\~S1, other than to use the new defined terms.
The only notable change of ``a fee'' to ``any price or no price'' in the
first sentence of GPLv3\S4\P2. The GPLv2\S1\P1 means that the GPL permits
one to charge money for the distribution of software. Despite efforts by
copyleft advocates to explain this in GPLv2 itself and in other documents,
there are evidently some people who still believe that GPLv2 allows charging
for services but not for selling copies of software and/or that the GPL
requires downloads to be gratis. Perhaps this is because GPLv2 referred to
charging a ``fee''; the term ``fee'' is generally used in connection with
services.
GPLv2's wording also referred to ``the physical act of transferring.'' The
intention was to distinguish charging for transfers from attempts to impose
licensing fees on all third parties. ``Physical'' might be read, however, as
suggesting ``distribution in a physical medium only''.
To address these two issues, GPLv3 says ``price'' in place of ``fee,'' and
removes the term ``physical.''
%FIXME: what section does this belong in?
Section 4 has been revised from its corresponding section in GPLv2 in light
of the new section 7 on license compatibility. A distributor of verbatim
@ -2711,19 +2735,6 @@ terms.
% FIXME: needs context, needs match up to current text, and removal of stuff
% that's no longer there
The original wording of this clause was meant to
make clear that the GPL permits one to charge for the distribution of
software. Despite our efforts to explain this in the license and in
other documents, there are evidently some who believe that the GPL
allows charging for services but not for selling software, or that the
GPL requires downloads to be gratis. We referred to charging a ``fee'';
the term ``fee'' is generally used in connection with services. Our
original wording also referred to ``the physical act of transferring.''
The intention was to distinguish charging for transfers from attempts to
impose licensing fees on all third parties. ``Physical'' might be read,
however, as suggesting ``distribution in a physical medium only.'' In
our revised wording we use ``price'' in place of ``fee,'' and we remove
the term ``physical.''
% FIXME: say more and tie it to the text