RE: LINUX is the "one" ? .... Comments???

[James Rich <james@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 3 Apr 2003, jt wrote:

> Is the same identical code for MySQL being distributed as BOTH non-GPL and
> GPL...??  How does THAT work???  Or what?

Yes, the same identical code is licensed under different licenses to
different users.  And honestly, this isn't so hard to understand.  Almost
every software company, copyright holder, and patent holder does this all
the time.  Ever heard of Software Subscription for the iSeries?  If you
purchase it, you have one license.  If you don't, you get another.  Or how
about Software Assurance?  Or how about licensing an invention to one
company differently than to another?

Mysql is no different.  They choose to license mysql to most people under
the GPL.  If you so desire, you can get a different license by purchasing
one.  IOW, they may choose to license the code however they want to
whomever they want.  If the GPL doesn't work for your product Mysql will
work with to use a license that does.

This works because the GPL follows the same laws that govern all software
licensing.  The licensing entity (whether an individual or group or
company) can decide how to license their work and who to license to.  If
you are not the licensing entity (which you aren't unless you actually
authored the code) you cannot arbitrarily decide to license the code
however you want.  This is true of all software.  Thus if you receive
GPL'ed code you cannot violate it's terms and distribute it under a
different license.  Likewise if you receive proprietary code.  But the
licensing entity can do it however they want.

Which clearly ties directly into innovation for some reason...   ;)

James Rich