@mtschirs said:
Yes, you are explaining that Vanilla core is GPL2, but Vanilla says on its github repository that all content including core is GPL2 or any later (i.e. GPL3). I think this is something Vanilla should clarify.
Not really they are just repeating the licence which allows you to redisitrubute under a later licence.
https://github.com/vanilla/vanilla: Vanilla Forums is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
https://github.com/vanilla/vanilla/blob/master/LICENSE.md: 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.
Now you could theoretically argue that for just copying without redistributing or modifying, you have to adhere strictly to GPL2 instead of GPL2 or any later.
However, this is a very technical discussion. It probably doesn't matter at all since everybody would prefer GPL2 over GPL3 anyway.
Say I copy it exactly and release as GPL3, I can't force people who have distributed it under GPL2 to update their licence, as I'm not the originator, and come later. If people derive my code, as it was identical to the originator, they can claim they are derivative of the originator. Content is the biggest determining factor.
If my copy had major changes to it then they would truly be derivative of me.
@mtschirs said:
Yes, you are explaining that Vanilla core is GPL2, but Vanilla says on its github repository that all content including core is GPL2 or any later (i.e. GPL3). I think this is something Vanilla should clarify.
It just means that GPL3 is compatible so we don't care if you wanna go with that. We're not fans of the GPL3. It's not a licensing model we're even considering.
Comments
Not really they are just repeating the licence which allows you to redisitrubute under a later licence.
grep is your friend.
If the core was GPL3 you couldn't distribute it under GPL2.
grep is your friend.
Now you could theoretically argue that for just copying without redistributing or modifying, you have to adhere strictly to GPL2 instead of GPL2 or any later.
However, this is a very technical discussion. It probably doesn't matter at all since everybody would prefer GPL2 over GPL3 anyway.
agreed
grep is your friend.
Say I copy it exactly and release as GPL3, I can't force people who have distributed it under GPL2 to update their licence, as I'm not the originator, and come later. If people derive my code, as it was identical to the originator, they can claim they are derivative of the originator. Content is the biggest determining factor.
If my copy had major changes to it then they would truly be derivative of me.
grep is your friend.
Agreed!
It just means that GPL3 is compatible so we don't care if you wanna go with that. We're not fans of the GPL3. It's not a licensing model we're even considering.
solved