Re: Dual-Licensing Linux Kernel with GPL V2 and GPL V3

Pavel Machek
2007-06-13T13:47:51Z

Hi!

> > So, does it mean we can change the license of the dead people's code ?
> >
>
> Please realize that one doesn't need to be dead to become
> uncommunicative incapacitated or vanish. The only need to be somewhere
> other than where they were without updating anyone.
>
> Here is a very humorous, but sort of scary theoretical :
>
> "Linus was so disturbed by the code in a submitted patch that he had a
> nervous breakdown and spent the next 30 years in a padded room.
> Unfortunately, no provisions were left to determine what happens to his
> copyrights should he become incapacitated."

License is only promise not to sue. If Linus is safely in a padded
room, I'll happily relicense Linux under GPLv17, knowing he is not
going to sue me :-).

(And actually, if he's in a padded room, there's probably someone who
can act in his name. At least czech law works like that.)
Pavel
--
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