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Wordsmith and typo fixes.

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Bradley M. Kuhn 2014-03-18 18:33:18 -04:00
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14
gpl-lgpl.tex
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@ -1967,26 +1967,26 @@ formal agreement between the licensee and the software distributor to be
valid. This has led to mechanisms like ``shrink-wrap'' and ``click-wrap'' valid. This has led to mechanisms like ``shrink-wrap'' and ``click-wrap''
as mechanisms to perform acceptance ceremonies with EULAs. as mechanisms to perform acceptance ceremonies with EULAs.
The GPL does not need contract law to ``transfer rights.'' No rights The GPL does not need contract law to ``transfer rights.'' Usually, no rights
are transfered between parties. By contrast, the GPL is a permission are transfered between parties. By contrast, the GPL is primarily a permission
slip to undertake activities that would otherwise have been prohibited slip to undertake activities that would otherwise have been prohibited
by copyright law. As such, it needs no acceptance ceremony; the by copyright law. As such, GPL needs no acceptance ceremony; the
licensee is not even required to accept the license. licensee is not even required to accept the license.
However, without the GPL, the activities of copying, modifying and However, without the GPL, the activities of copying, modifying and
distributing the software would have otherwise been prohibited. So, the distributing the software would have otherwise been prohibited. So, the
GPL says that you only accepted the license by undertaking activities that GPL says that you only accepted the license by undertaking activities that
you would have otherwise been prohibited without your license under GPL\@. you would have otherwise been prohibited without your license under GPL\@.
This is a certainly subtle point, and requires a mindset quite different This is a certainly subtle point, and requires a mindset quite different
from the contractual approach taken by EULA authors. from the contractual approach taken by EULA authors.
An interesting side benefit to GPLv2~\S5 is that the bulk of users of Free An interesting side benefit to GPLv2~\S5 is that the bulk of users of Free
Software are not required to accept the license. Undertaking fair and Software are not required to accept the license. Undertaking fair and
unregulated use of the work, for example, does not bind you to the GPL, unregulated use of the work, for example, does not bind you to the GPL,
since you are not engaging in activity that is otherwise controlled by since you are not engaging in activity that is otherwise controlled by
copyright law. Only when you engage in those activities that might have an copyright law. Only when you engage in those activities that might have an
impact on the freedom of others does license acceptance occur, and the impact on the freedom of others does license acceptance occur, and the
terms begin to bind you to fair and equitable sharing of the software. In terms begin to bind you to fair and equitable sharing of the software. In
other words, the GPL only kicks in when it needs to for the sake of other words, the GPL only kicks in when it needs to for the sake of
freedom. freedom.