[gentoo-dev] Re: GPL-2 vs GPL-2+

[Steve Long <slong@rathaus.eclipse.co.uk>]

Paul de Vrieze wrote:
> I know that I'm a bit late on this, but to me the "version 2 or later" is
> a license by itself. Let's call it GPL-RENEW and let the file have
> contents like:
> "This package is licensed with the version x or later clause for the GPL."
> 
> The LICENSE would then be:
> LICENSE="GPL-2 GPL-RENEW"
> 
> The advantage being that the renew clause is version independent, we don't
> lose information, don't have to mutilate licenses (by adding text). If
> desired it could even be used as LICENSE="|| (GPL-2 GPL-3) GPL-RENEW"
> 
That last bit's excessive IMO. It seems to add complexity- does it mean you
can have either of the GPL2 or 3 plus any later from that version? Why not
just cover that with your first example, which I like a lot- it spells out
the later clause, and as you say, is version-independent.

So GPL-3 GPL-RENEW could be specified, as well as simple GPL-2, or GPL-2
GPL-RENEW. (Just spelling it out, sorry.)

I'm thinking about your example and I can see how it covers a user who
*wants* to use GPL-3 (eg for their own code) but I still think that comes
under GPL-2 GPL-RENEW as it's clearly allowed.


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