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

David Schwartz
2007-06-09T07:05:06Z

> But; if the Linux kernel should Dual-Licensed (GPL V2 and GPL V3), it
> will allow us the both worlds' fruits like code exchanging from other
> Open Source Projects (OpenSolaris etc.) that is compatible with GPL V3
> and not with GPL V2 and of course the opposite is applicable,too.

That is a misleading claim. While being dual-licensed would make it either
for other projects to adopt Linux code, it would have three downsides:

1) If Linux code were adopted into other projects that were not
dual-licensed, changes could not be imported back into Linux unless the
changes were dual-licensed which is not likely when the contributions are
made to a project that's not dual-licensed.

2) Linux could no longer take code from other projects that are GPL v2
licensed unless it could obtain them under a dual license.

And, last and probably most serious:

3) Linux derivatives could be available with just a GPL v3 license and no
GPL v2. license if the derivers wanted things that way.

DS