Re: Relicensing the Emacs repository

[David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>]

Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org> writes:

> Richard Stallman wrote:
>
>> I am looking for volunteers to relicense branches of Emacs to GPL
>> version 3 or later. Would people please volunteer to do at least one
>> branch?
>
> I believe I have done the release branch (it was great fun).
>
> Comments and questions:
>
> 1. Some files that are in CVS are not really part of Emacs. All the
>    following are copyright FSF and GPL >= v2. I left them alone:

If they are copyright FSF, they can be changed to GPL >= v3 even we
distribute them under GPL >= v2 (or LGPL or anything else) elsewhere.

> 2. I updated the files that are joint copyright FSF and AIST, or
>    copyright AIST alone (eg lisp/composite.el). These are all marked
>    as part of Emacs. This includes files in leim, leim/quail, lisp,
>    lisp/language, lisp/international, src.

If we have a copyright disclaimer for them on file, this presumably
allows us to release under any GPL we like, even though we are not the
one who can (or will) sue for breach of license.

> 5. lwlib/ - I left alone.
>    Files originally in Lucid Widget Library remain under GPL v1 or
>    later, or v2 or later.

If we have permission to license under GPL v1 or later, we should be
able to change the licensing of the copy we distribute to GPL v3 or
later even if we are not the copyright holder.  What this means when
the original copyright holder is not going to bother, is a different
question.  If we want to avoid the situation of distributing under a
license for which no-one will bother pressing compliance, we might
consider not touching anything, but I don't think that this should be
problematic.


-- 
David Kastrup