Re: question about license of unofficial translation of GPL as a sample text in dbacl (Re: notmuch users: how do you filter debbugs?)

[Adonay Felipe Nogueira <adfeno@openmailbox.org>]

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If I'm not mistaken, translations of the GNU GPL are not legally binding
if they are presented by themselves.

One must note that when the translation text is preceded by a section
written in the license's original language that instructs the reader to
take the original one as valid, then the project does become under that
license.

Distinction must also be made between the license and its notice below
copyright notice. As far as my limited knowledge goes, the license
notice of the GNU GPL can be translated.

However, translating license notices for other licenses that don't
implement short notices is risky because you would be translating the
license itself.

Examples of licenses that allow short license notices: Almost all
licenses from the GNU project, Apache License.

After the license notice, of course, the project can take the time and
space to write more elaborated text on what are the rights and
obligations of the user, as long as the writer warns that this
explanation isn't legally binding too, and that the reader must read the
original license to know more.

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