[asterisk-biz] [OT] GNU

[Trixter aka Bret McDanel]

On 3/13/07, Dovid Bender <asterisk at dovid.net> wrote:
>
>  Hi Guys,
> I know this is a bit OT but with the talk on GNU here I figured I would
> ask here. I wrote a small backup script for asterisk and I wanted to release
> it as GNU. What do I have to to release it as GNU ?
>

Indeed it is offtopic, however ...
GNU is not a license, the GPL is a license.  Just becuase something is GPLed
does not mean its GNU, for example bayonne is the GNU open source telephony
suite, however both asterisk and bayonne are GPLed (asterisk is dual
licensed, also commercial).

To release with a GPL license, basically you have to own the copyright to
it, or if you include code from others, get their permission to license it
that way or select software with compatible licenses.  Then if you want to
inflict restrictions on the ability to work with other open source software
you need to place the GPL license file in there and state that your code is
licensed under the GPL.

Note not all OSI approved 'open source' licenses are compatible with the
GPL.  The PHP license, 4 clause BSD, MPL, basically anything that doesnt let
the GPL parasitically take over is deemed 'incompatable'.  The GPL prevents
working with the open source world in this respect, where other licenses are
more well suited to interopability with FOSS projects.  Additionally its not
well suited for artistic content (images, videos, sounds, etc) the creative
commons is because it has use restrictions you can select, where the file
interface is a 'clean' interface when working with the GPL so it really does
nothing for those types of files.

Choose your license carefully, figure out what the limitations are and what
benefits it gives you, dont just follow the rhetoric of 'the gpl keeps your
software free' (it really doesnt it just puts limits on other open source
developers preventing  their use).

If you then decide to continue with the gpl visit
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-howto.html


-- 
Trixter http://www.0xdecafbad.com     Bret McDanel
Belfast +44 28 9099 6461        US +1 516 687 5200
http://www.trxtel.com the VoIP provider that pays you!
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