GPL version 2 only for BusyBox 1.3.0.

[Erik Andersen]

On Thu Sep 14, 2006 at 08:08:53PM +1200, Glenn L McGrath wrote:
> This is pretty disappointing to me... I had hoped you would
> have taken a more conservative approach.

This is the conservative approach...  The non-conservative
approach, which is implicit assumption behind the current 'GPLv2
or later' is that any later iteration of the GPL is going to be
more acceptable than the GPLv2.  I have some concerns with the
current GPLv3 drafts (which are well beyond the scope of this
mailing list).  For all I know, Richard Stallman may decide he is
tired of being poor and altruistic and at EvilSoft's request may
in his old age draft up a GPLv4 which states "This code now
belongs to EvilSoft".  Unlikely?  Sure?  But it is within the
realm of possibility.  Until such time as a final GPLv3 is
actually released upon an unsuspecting world,  it is premature to
pass final judgement.  The problem implicit in the "or later"
clause is that there is no a priori way to pass judgement on all
possible future license iterations and thus requires that
everybody accept them sight unseen.  I don't really like that
idea.

> When GPLv3 comes out i expect i will stop releasing code under GPLv2.

When the GPLv3 comes out, it will be time for many many
organizations (including BusyBox) to evaluate the merits of the
GPLv3, and it may well be time for BusyBox to switch over to
GPLv3.  Or not.  Regardless, such a change should be just as
feasible then as it is now.

 -Erik

--
Erik B. Andersen             http://codepoet-consulting.com/
--This message was written using 73% post-consumer electrons--
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