Assuming the code you license with the GPL is all your original work
and therefore under copyright to you, if you GPL your program then
1) all subsequent works which include your code and all works which
are derived from your code must conform to the grants/restrictions in
the GPL if they themselves are offered to third parties
2) the gpl requires all third party users get access to the source code
3) all third party users are unrestricted in their ability to run
your program for any purpose, to modify your program, to release
those modifications to the public, and to redistribute your program
as long as they conform to the rules above.
But note : The output from your program is not subject to GPL
licensing requirements. (eg programs made with gcc do not have to be
themselves GPLd)
If you decide to use the GPL and it turns out that was a horrible
mistake it's within your discretion to re-release the code under a
different license and stop supporting the older GPLd version.
So if you GPL your program then no one will be able to take your
SuperOptimizer and using your code or making a derivative work based
on your code release a SuperDuperOptimizer unless their
SuperDuperOptimizer is also Free Software as defined by Richard
Stallman, summarized above.
Someone could create a SuperDuperOptimizer and use it in the privacy
of their own home (and I think business as well) without worrying
about the GPL because in that case there would be no third party
users who have rights. But if they release the SuperDuperOptimizer to
anyone then the GPL rules immediately inhere to that user.
Someone could take the output of the SuperOptimizer and make a super
wicked awesome vcs game, call it Dirt Gherkin, and be unaffected by
the GPL.
Don't know if this helps, but there you go.
This isn't legal advice, it's a friendly Stella comment. Also, it
might be wrong. :)
-aaron
On Jun 1, 2005, at 9:13 AM, B. Watson wrote:
>
>
> On Tue, 31 May 2005, Fred Quimby wrote:
>
>
>> I will post the source next time. I want to clean up some of the
>> code
>> first. I have been thinking about releasing under the GPL - is
>> there any
>> reason why this wouldn't be a good idea?
>>
>
> Don't worry, we can handle `adult' comments :)
>
> /* WTF $#^%$%& why doesn't this $@@^& work?! */
>
> I'm a big fan of the GPL, so I think it's a great idea. I'm no lawyer,
> but I'd say that the optimized code you generate would not count as
> a derived work (any more than the binaries built by a GPL'ed compiler
> would, or the images created by a GPL'ed image editor).
>
> --
> B.
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