Changeset - 52695626f092
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Bradley Kuhn (bkuhn) - 10 years ago 2014-03-19 13:58:46
bkuhn@ebb.org
Paragraph refill only.
1 file changed with 8 insertions and 9 deletions:
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gpl-lgpl.tex
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@@ -2220,105 +2220,104 @@ GPLv3 to be simpler and clearer than its GPLv2 counterparts.
 

	
 
% FIXME: does propagate  definition still work the same way in final draft?
 

	
 
The term ``propagate'' serves two purposes.  First, ``propagate'' provides a
 
simple and convenient means for distinguishing between the kinds of uses of a
 
work that the GPL imposes conditions on and the kinds of uses that the GPL
 
does not (for the most part) impose conditions on.
 

	
 
Second, ``propagate'' furthers our goal of making the license as global as
 
possible in its wording and effect.  When a work is licensed under the GPL,
 
the copyright law of some particular country will govern certain legal issues
 
arising under the license.  A term like ``distribute'' or its equivalent in
 
languages other than English, is used in several national copyright statutes.
 
The scope of ``distribution'' in the copyright context can differ from
 
country to country.  The GPL does not seek to necessarily use the specific
 
meaning of ``distribution'' that exists under United States copyright law or
 
any other country's copyright law.
 

	
 
Therefore, the GPL defines the term ``propagate'' by reference to activities
 
that require permission under ``applicable copyright law'', but excludes
 
execution and private modification from the definition.  GPLv3's definition
 
also gives examples of activities that may be included within ``propagation''
 
but it also makes clear that, under the copyright laws of a given country,
 
``propagation'' may include other activities as well.
 

	
 
% FIXME: paragraph number change , and more on Convey once definition comes.
 

	
 
The third paragraph of section 2 represents another effort to compensate for
 
variation in national copyright law.  We distinguish between propagation that
 
enables parties other than the licensee to make or receive copies, and other
 
forms of propagation.  As noted above, the meaning of ``distribution'' under
 
copyright law varies from country to country, including with respect to
 
whether making copies available to other parties (such as related public or
 
corporate entities) is ``distribution.'' ``Propagation,'' however, is a term
 
not tied to any statutory language.  Propagation that does not enable other
 
parties to make or receive copies --- for example, making private copies or
 
privately viewing the program --- is permitted unconditionally.  Propagation
 
that does enable other parties to make or receive copies is permitted as
 
``distribution,'' subject to the conditions set forth in sections 4--6.
 

	
 
% FIXME: Appropriate Legal Notices
 

	
 
\section{GPLv3~\S1: Understanding CCS}
 

	
 
% FIXME: Talk briefly about importance of CCS and reference compliance guide
 

	
 
% FIXME: reword source code a bit
 

	
 
Section 1 retains GPLv2's definition of ``source code'' and adds an
 
explicit definition of ``object code'' as ``any non-source version of a
 
work.''  Object code is not restricted to a narrow technical meaning and
 
is to be understood broadly as including any form of the work other than
 
the preferred form for making modifications to it.  Object code
 
therefore includes any kind of transformed version of source code, such
 
as bytecode.  The definition of object code also ensures that licensees
 
cannot escape their obligations under the GPL by resorting to shrouded
 
source or obfuscated programming.
 
Section 1 retains GPLv2's definition of ``source code'' and adds an explicit
 
definition of ``object code'' as ``any non-source version of a work.''
 
Object code is not restricted to a narrow technical meaning and is to be
 
understood broadly as including any form of the work other than the preferred
 
form for making modifications to it.  Object code therefore includes any kind
 
of transformed version of source code, such as bytecode.  The definition of
 
object code also ensures that licensees cannot escape their obligations under
 
the GPL by resorting to shrouded source or obfuscated programming.
 

	
 
% FIXME: CCS Coresponding Source updated to newer definition in later drafts
 

	
 
Keeping with the desire to ``round up'' definitions that were spread
 
throughout the text of GPLv2, the definition of CCS\footnote{Note that the
 
  preferred term by those who work with both GPLv2 and GPLv3 is ``Complete
 
  Corresponding Source'', abbreviated to ``CCS''.  Admittedly, the word
 
  ``complete'' no longer appears in GPLv3 (which uses the word ``all''
 
  instead).  However, both GPLv2 and the early drafts of GPLv3 itself used
 
  the word complete, and early GPLv3 drafts even included the phrase
 
  ``Complete Corresponding Source''.  Meanwhile, use of the acronym ``CCS''
 
  (sometimes, ``C&CS'') was so widespread among GPL enforcers that its use
 
  continues even though GPLv3-focused experts tend to say just the defined
 
  term of ``Corresponding Source''.}, or, as GPLv3 officially calls it,
 
``Corresponding Source'', is given in GPLv3~\S1\P4.  This definition is as
 
broad as necessary to protect users' exercise of their rights under the
 
GPL. We follow the definition with particular examples to remove any doubt
 
that they are to be considered Complete Corresponding Source Code. We wish to
 
make completely clear that a licensee cannot avoid complying with the
 
requirements of the GPL by dynamically linking an add-on component to the
 
original version of a program.
 

	
 
Though the definition of Complete Corresponding Source Code in the
 
second paragraph of section 1 is expansive, it is not sufficient to
 
protect users' freedoms in many circumstances.  For example, a GPL'd
 
program, or a modified version of such a program, might need to be
 
signed with a key or authorized with a code in order for it to run on
 
a particular machine and function properly. Similarly, a program that
 
produces digitally-restricted files might require a decryption code in
 
order to read the output.  
 

	
 
% FIXME: Standard Interface
 

	
 
% FIXME: System Libraries: it's in a different place and changed in later drafts
 

	
 
The final paragraph of section 1 revises the exception to the source code
 
distribution requirement in GPLv2 that we have sometimes called the system
 
library exception. This exception has been read to prohibit certain
 
distribution arrangements that we consider reasonable and have not sought to
 
prevent, such as distribution of gcc linked with a non-free C library that is
 
included as part of a larger non-free system. This is not to say that such
 
non-free libraries are legitimate; rather, preventing free software from
 
linking with these libraries would hurt free software more than it would hurt
 
proprietary software.
 

	
 
As revised, the exception has two parts. Part (a) rewords the GPLv2
 
exception for clarity but also removes the words ``unless that
 
component itself accompanies the executable.''  By itself, (a) would
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