[Pdns-dev] "news letter": license version clarification, regression tests + more

[Lionel Elie Mamane]

On Sun, Feb 13, 2005 at 10:23:57PM +0100, bert hubert wrote:

> License: GPL version 2 only

> For a long time, I think since open sourcing in fact, PowerDNS has been
> displaying this message on startup:

> (...) according to the terms of the GPL version 2.

> However, many parts of the code in fact show the boilerplate code the FSF
> suggests, which says:

>     (...); either version 2 of the License, or(at your option) any later version.

> I'm busy changing this over to being precise and stating that the license is
> in fact only version *2*, and no later.

> If anybody who in the past contributed code to powerdns feels upset
> by this, please let me know so I can redo your work, or remove it
> from PowerDNS.

Legally, by licensing their changes under "GPLv2 or later", these
people have given you permission to use it under the GPLv2 in
pdns... Not that I suggest you be impolite and don't remove their
code if they would prefer so.

> Also I may be able to convince you that this isn't a big deal. It is
> not that I distrust the FSF, I like to see any later version first.

This is totally understandable, but this means that once you have seen
GPLv3 and like it, you still need to get permission for GPLv3 for all
contributors... which may be harder than you think. E.g. mozilla
hasn't yet managed, after literally *years* to track everyone
down. People change emails, die, change jobs (and become astronomers
or carpenters), become Buddhist monks in Tibet, ...

Unless you collect permission from contributors to relicense their
code under later GPL version, *before* you integrate their
contribution. But then they - if they are likely minded to you - will
have the same problem with you as you have with the FSF: Wanna see the
new version first. Ugly situation, I fear.

-- 
Lionel