Re: GPL V3 and Linux - Dead Copyright Holders

From: Chase Venters
Date: Thu Jan 26 2006 - 13:55:48 EST


On Thu, 26 Jan 2006, Diego Calleja wrote:

El Thu, 26 Jan 2006 17:59:01 +0000 (GMT),
Paul Jakma <paul@xxxxxxxx> escribió:

That's not what section 9 seems to say. The default is "any version
you like".

That's not exactly what it says.

The real text is (emphasis mine): "_IF_ the Program does not specify
a version number of this License, you may choose any version ever
published by the Free Software Foundation."


Before that it says: "Each version is given a distinguishing version
number. If the Program specifies a version number of this License
which applies to it and "any later version", you have the option of
following the terms and conditions either of that version or of any
later version published by the Free Software Foundation"


IOW, such rules will aply if no version has been specified or
if has the "any later version" addon. Which is not the case:
I can read "GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE, Version 2, June 1991".


It's possible there may be something I'm not understanding. I do recognize that the license has a version number on it.

But then again, so did GPLv1. And it also had the same section 9 clause.

So the question is - why would the GPL need a clause that says "You can use any version of the GPL if the Program does not specify a version" when every official version of the GPL includes a version number? Are they expecting authors to strip the version number header in order to somehow take advantage of section 9?

Cheers,
Chase