Re: [Fsfe-uk] Renting GPL software

[MJ Ray]

Rob Myers <address@hidden> wrote:
> MJ Ray wrote:
>  > I don't think trademark licensing should be included in the copyright
>  > licence, but then I don't think patent licensing should either and
>  > that's in GPLv3.
>
> Patent licensing (and opposition to DRM law) should be in the GPLv3 as 
> the GPLv3 is a Free Software licence, not a copyright licence. Free 
> Software is its content, copyright licencing is only part of its form.

No, the GPL has not yet become a full Intellectual Property Licence.
There's a lot of language in there which seems to suggest that
it is still primarily a copyright licence, such as
  "All rights granted under this License are granted for the term of
   copyright on the Program,"

(BTW: I think the above means GPLv3 will behave oddly in places where
patents last longer than copyrights.  I don't think there are any such
places today, but does anything say it will always be that way?)

[...]
> Debian[*] can remove the trademarks from Firefox to produce Iceweasel, 
> which has the same functionality but different appearance. They cannot 
> remove the patented algorithms or DRM from Windows Media Player (or 
> whatever) and produce Iceplayer with different appearance or the same 
> appearance.

The Debian project could, but it might not do the same tasks as a
result.  I agree that it's a more severe problem than most trademarks,
though.

Regards,
-- 
MJ Ray http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html tel:+44-844-4437-237 -
Webmaster-developer, statistician, sysadmin, online shop builder,
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