linux-kernel - Re: Dual-Licensing Linux Kernel with GPL V2 and GPL V3

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Date:	Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:15:10 -0700 (PDT)
From:	Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>
To:	Alexandre Oliva <aoliva@...hat.com>
cc:	Sean <seanlkml@...patico.ca>, Adrian Bunk <bunk@...sta.de>,
	Valdis.Kletnieks@...edu, Daniel Hazelton <dhazelton@...er.net>,
	Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>, Greg KH <greg@...ah.com>,
	debian developer <debiandev@...il.com>, david@...g.hm,
	Tarkan Erimer <tarkan@...one.net.tr>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>, mingo@...e.hu
Subject: Re: Dual-Licensing Linux Kernel with GPL V2 and GPL V3

On Thu, 14 Jun 2007, Alexandre Oliva wrote:
> 
> Then would you consider relicensing Linux under GPLv3 + additional
> permission for Tivoization?

No. I'm not stupid.

The GPLv3 explicitly allows removing additional permissions.

So anybody who does "GPLv3 + additional permissions" is basically setting 
himself up for people taking those permissions away.

Since the Tivo kind of permission is in my opinion a *fundamental right* 
(or call if "freedom" if you want), then "GPLv3 + additional permissions" 
simply is not a viable alternative, since anybody could just decide to 
make improvements and strip those permissions.

The whole notion of "additional permissions" in the GPLv3 is totally 
pointless, since it's legally *exactly* the same as allowing dual 
licensing (which a license doesn't even have to spell out: you can 
dual-license *regardless* of the license!).

The reason for the "additional permissions" is just to make the LGPL go 
away, and become a sub-clause of the GPLv3.

If you really thought anything else, you're just uninformed and stupid, 
and didn't think things through.

			Linus
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