Alternative to the GPL posted in alt.sources

Dan Bernstein brnstnd at stealth.acf.nyu.edu
Sun May 6 00:27:21 AEST 1990


I've posted in alt.sources a first draft of a complete GPL alternative.
I designed it with help from a lawyer, but I haven't gotten any paid
opinions yet; if you have it reviewed, I'd love to hear the results---
for confidence if they're good or for improvement if they're bad.

The basic difference is that a simple limited copyright replaces the
license. There are a few minor semantic differences, meant to handle
real-world cases better. And there's an explanatory file, WHY, posing
and answering some questions.

By the way, my future programs will also be placed under this copyright,
except that I still prefer tight control over distribution of modified
versions and have the copyright limitations simplified accordingly. As
usual, I have neither the right nor the desire to control distribution
of separately packaged patches, provided that they don't give away too
much of my code on the fringes; but I want each installer to know what
patches have gone into his version, so that I don't go chasing ghosts.

---Dan



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