Re: Copyright/Distribution questions (Emacs/Orgmode)

[Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com>]

Christian

You are mixing licensing and copyright assignment.  They are two
different things.

I am withdrawing my pleasure in giving a consent for inclusion in Emacs.
IMO, opinion I can do so for the files haven't landed in Emacs yet.  

If you look at some of my posts in Orgmode list, I make it very clear
that Orgmode can choose to re-distribute the files.

Jambunathan K.


Christian Egli <christian.egli@sbs.ch> writes:

> Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> I would like to withdraw my pleasure in having these files distributed
>> as part of Org distribution.
>
> These files have been published under the GNU GPL[1] which gives
> everybody the right to modify and redistribute them as long as they
> comply with the GNU GPL. In other words the current maintainer has every
> right to include these files in any further release of orgmode.
>
>> More specifically, I would like to know how copyright assignment works
>> for files that are not yet part of Emacs.  
>
> The copyright assignment is solely for the purpose of having one
> copyright owner. This helps for legal disputes and to change the
> license. However it is not needed for redistribution purposes, i.e. it
> gives you no legal recourse to stop redistribution of these files. Once
> you have published them under GNU GPL (and you have) everybody
> (including the current maintainer of orgmode) has the four freedoms that
> come with the GNU GPL[2] namely
>
>> the freedom to use the software for any purpose,
>> the freedom to change the software to suit your needs,
>> the freedom to share the software with your friends and neighbors, and
>> the freedom to share the changes you make.
>
> Again IANAL, but then the GNU GPL is pretty clear about this.
>
> Hope this helps
> Christian
>
> Footnotes: 
> [1]  on mailing lists and in the git repo of orgmode
> [2]  http://www.gnu.org/licenses/quick-guide-gplv3.html

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