Re: Building An Apple ][ Software Archive

[pausch@saafNOSPAM.se (Paul Schlyter)]

In article <stfotllo76hf2a@corp.supernews.com>,
Arkain <rwking@usa.nospam.net> wrote:
 
> "Paul Schlyter" <pausch@saafNOSPAM.se> wrote in message
> news:8r6o3c$3i3$1@merope.saaf.se...
>> In article <stchaaivelgmcd@corp.supernews.com>,
>> Arkain <rwking@usa.nospam.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Yes. Remember that freeware is simply software that has a public
>>> distribution policy(i.e. anyone can distribute without paying the
>>> author).
>>
>> I see you're using "my" definition of the word "freeware".  But if we
>> used that "other" definition, where "freeware" must be copyrighted,
>> would GPL be freeware according to that definition too?  It's obvious
>> that GPL software is free, but is it also copyrighted?
> 
> Yes. The "copyleft" is just an awkward type of copyright. They both serve
> the same purpose... to reserve certain rights from the general public. A
> copyright reserves the right to reproduce and/or modify while a "copyleft"
> reserves the right to "embrace & extend" at a cost.
> 
>>> The copyright called GPL goes 1 step further and uses "the public" as
>>> it's copyright holding entity. This way all materials under the GPL are
>>> always free to use as literally everybody owns it. The GPL enforces public
>>> domain status.
>>
>> No it doesn't, since GPL explicitly forbids you to try and sell the
>> software as your own, while being Public Domain allows this.  Thus,
>> "enforcing public domain status" would go agains the spirit of GPL.
> 
> This is what I mean by "enforcing public domain status". The GPL ensures
> that all copies or derivatives of the GPL covered work remain in the public
> domain. If that doesn't qualify as "enforcing public domain status" then
> what does? Uncopyrighted freeware's public domain status isn't normally
> protected. This is why a PD work can be claimed by anyone.
 
You cannot enforce that all derivatives of a PD work will remain in the
PD.  All you can do is to *restrict* the conditions of the PD and in that
way enforce that all derivatives should remain free to the public.  But
then it's not PD anymore, but something else: copyrighted freeware.
 
-- 
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