From: Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
To: David.Woodhouse@mvhi.com
Cc: jgg@deltatee.com, mtd@infradead.org
Subject: Re: Response from M-Systems
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 00:46:51 -0400 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <199907110446.AAA10065@psilocin.gnu.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <E112i0h-0002gf-00@devel2.axiom.internal> (message from David Woodhouse on Fri, 09 Jul 1999 22:16:43 +0100)
A couple of months ago, I asked our lawyer a similar question: whether
someone could permit distribution of a GPL-covered program, but then
use a patent to try to restrict the running of the program. Such a
possibility would be disastrous, since it would mean that the program
was not really free, despite the use of the GPL.
The lawyer told me that licensing the distribution of a program
automatically licenses users to run it. I was relieved.
I cannot be certain that the case I asked him about is entirely
equivalent to this one. What I can say is that IF a program can be
restricted in the way you suggest, it is not free software. That is
not a solution, it is a danger.
I don't think this danger exists, but if it does, I will do my best
to safeguard against it with changes in the next version of the GPL.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe mtd" to majordomo@imladris.demon.co.uk
next prev parent reply other threads:[~1999-07-11 4:37 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 11+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
1999-07-09 21:16 Response from M-Systems David Woodhouse
1999-07-11 4:46 ` Richard Stallman [this message]
-- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
1999-07-12 10:56 David Woodhouse
1999-07-12 20:07 ` Richard Stallman
1999-07-09 22:55 David Woodhouse
1999-07-09 21:57 David Woodhouse
1999-07-09 22:44 ` Jason Gunthorpe
1999-07-09 20:21 David Woodhouse
1999-07-09 20:43 ` Jason Gunthorpe
1999-07-09 18:50 David Woodhouse
1999-07-09 20:04 ` Jason Gunthorpe
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