% Considering Key Sections of the GPL

% Tuesday 9 May 2017

# Conditional Permissions

+ A copyleft license grants copyright permissions, conditionally.

+ Think of the phrase: “provided that”

+ “provided that”: appears (in some form) only

+ 4 times in GPLv2

+ 9 times in GPLv3.

# Considering Sections of the GPL

+ GPL ♥ 17 USC§106(2) & 17 USC§106(3)

+ GPL hinges on modification and distribution.

# Why Permission to Modify?

+ Your new copyrights are your copyrights:

     + you are affixing it in a tangible medium.

+ Exclusive right of copyright holders:

     + Control on “preparation of derivative works”

     + Distribution of the work.

     + Note the combination of these.

+ Again, see 17 USC§106

+ N.B.: “derivative works” is USA-centric, modify is more international)

# Modification As a Center Provision

+ GPL's primary copyright hook is copyright controls on the right to modify.

+ GPL's central tenant:

+ You can make a modified version of various types privately as much as you'd like.

+ When you distribute that modified version, you have requirements to meet.

+ Technological considerations dictate necessity of more complex rules for

certain types of modifications.