[TriLUG] GPLv3 -- What do you think?

[John Beimler]

Joseph Tate wrote:

> Um, the GPL itself in paragraph 9 allows the user (not the
> contributors) to use any "later" version of the gpl, so getting the
> contributors to agree is irrelevant.  Code authors restricting the
> license to v2.0 is impossible.  That's my reading however, and the
> standard disclaimers apply.

But if you go look at your handy dandy kernel sources and check out the 
file COPYING, this is there:

> Also note that the only valid version of the GPL as far as the kernel
>  is concerned is _this_ particular version of the license (ie v2, not
>  v2.2 or v3.x or whatever), unless explicitly otherwise stated.

and something like that has been there for quite a while, not sure how 
long. Paragraph 9 does allow people to apply later licenses, but only if 
the version covering the code is not specified, which for the kernel it is.

Peace.

john