Re: [Sheflug] how to release something under the GPL

["Chris J" <cej [at] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> One small thing (and academic really as I don't foresee this situation
> at all!) but after reading the
> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-howto.html I notice that I write
> something like Copyright 2002 Neil R Porter first and foremost.  Now, if
> I release this code under the GPL, can I revoke it?  I mean, if I have
> written at the top of every piece of code Copyright 2002 Neil R Porter,
> then I still presumably have more 'rights' than others?  Doesn't seem
> right somehow.  Is my interpretation incorrect?

IANAL...but I'll bite...

Suspect not. Even though you've placed your copyright on the work (btw,
you'd have the copyright anyway by default unless you make a note revoking
all copyright to the work - public domain), you've granted people the right
to play around with it as per the GPL.

However, whether copyright law does give you some extra power, I'd guess
not given the very liberal nature of the GPL. Certainly as copyright holder
it does mean you have the (I'd assume) the right to go after anyone you
think has broken the aggreement (viz, the GPL). t it could all get a little
cloudy.

Might be best to read up on copyright law if it concerns you that much :)
The GPL may well have been written with US IP law in mind - so any 
differences could effect the end result. Maybe.

If you really do not care what happens to your code, then release it
public domain ... :) Depends how much control you want to retain and how
restrictive you want it to be on the end user (in this case the BSD license
is less restrictive for the end user).

> As may be obvious, I am not a intellectual property lawyer :)
> 

Ditto :)

Chris...

-- 
\ Chris Johnson           \
 \ cej [at] nightwolf.org.uk    ~-----,   
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