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Some rewording of this section, mostly wordsmith.

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Bradley M. Kuhn 2014-11-10 20:16:07 -05:00
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compliance-guide.tex
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@ -284,20 +284,27 @@ software.\footnote{This document addresses compliance with GPLv2,
\section{Evaluate License Applicability} \section{Evaluate License Applicability}
\label{derivative-works} \label{derivative-works}
Political discussion about the GPL often centers around the ``copyleft'' Political discussion about the GPL often centers around determining the
requirements of the license. Indeed, the license was designed primarily ``work'' that must be licensed under GPL, or in other words, ``what is the
to embody this licensing feature. Most companies adding non-trivial derivative and/or combined work that was created''. Nearly ever esoteric
features (beyond mere porting and bug-fixing) to GPL'd software (and question asked by lawyers seek to consider that question
thereby invoking these requirements) are already well aware of their \footnote{\tutorialpartsplit{In fact, a companion work, \textit{Detailed Analysis of the GNU GPL and Related
more complex obligations under the license.\footnote{There has been much legal Licenses} contains an entire section discussing derivative works}{This tutorial in fact
discussion regarding copyleft and derivative works. In practical also addresses the issue at length in~\S~\ref{derivative-works}}.} (perhaps because
reality, this issue is not relevant to the vast majority of companies that question explores exciting legal issues while the majority of the GPL
distributing GPL'd software. Those interested in this issue should study deals with much more mundane ones).
\tutorialpartsplit{\textit{Detailed Analysis of the GNU GPL and Related Of course, GPL was designed
Licenses}'s Section on derivative works}{\S~\ref{derivative-works} of primarily to embody the licensing feature of copyleft.
this tutorial}.}
However, experienced GPL enforcers find that few redistributors' However, most companies who add
complex features to and make combinations with GPL'd software
are already well aware of their
more complex obligations under the license that require complex legal
analysis. And, there are few companies overall that engage in such
activities. Thus, in practical reality, this issue is not relevant to the vast
majority of companies distributing GPL'd software.
Thus, experienced GPL enforcers find that few redistributors'
compliance challenges relate directly to combined work issues in copyleft. compliance challenges relate directly to combined work issues in copyleft.
Instead, the distributions of GPL'd Instead, the distributions of GPL'd
systems most often encountered typically consist of a full operating system systems most often encountered typically consist of a full operating system