question about releasing source

[Volker Pittlik]

...

Volker,

the cited user of a GPL related source obviously has been a "Vollkaufmann" thus it is not easy to conclude from this for general people.

Reinhard.[/quote]

At least it seems to be not so easy for you Reinhard.

Volker, EOD

[Reinhard Scharnagl]

Hi Volker,

At least it seems to be not so easy for you Reinhard.

indeed it could be that I am seeing more problems than others do. But I think, that the problem could not be solved by ignoring such difficulties like the missing of a valid german licencing document.

As for the GPL I think that an contributor should have the chance that changes on his code should be commented in his own language or a language of his choice, because to become able to follow the progress of the project. This moment that concept seems to demand that only English should be used to do that. I regard this to be a discrimination of programmers of other languages.

Thus for me participating in GPL or Open Source projects is like playing a game with unclear rules and participants which cannot sufficiently communicate. But reducing such projects to selected language areas would be hardly to control, because downloading cannot be restricted.

You see, you are right with your assumption that I see a lot of problems around publishing source code, where others might say: don't care.

Reinhard.

[Uri Blass]

I agree that the fact that there is no translation to other languages is a problem.

People often get some big document in english of conditions that they need to accept before they can use a program.

The result is that I believe that almost in every case even people with no intention to do something bad (that their main language is not english)simply accept the conditions without knowing exactly what they accept because the alternative is not to use the program(they have no time also to look at the dictionary for what they do not understand) and they believe that they do not intend to do something bad.

I think that it is better if the conditions are translated to every language in the world(not only german and also hebrew and other languages) when people can choose the language that they read the conditions.

Even in that case I am afraid that a lot will be lazy to read the conditions but at least more people will do it.

Uri

[Greg Simpson]

The GPL license, as it affects most people, is simple:

1. Include the source when you send someone the program.

2. Any changes you make to the program must be licensed under the GPL.

The actual license has to say a lot more to ensure it is legally binding and to cover borderline cases, and it is unfortunate but understandable that a non-profit group like the Free Solftware Foundation will only officially support one language.

GPL programs are copyright protected. If copyright is recognized somewhere, but an English license is not legal, then it is a violation to use GPL software at all.

I am not a lawyer, this is just my understanding.

[Reinhard Scharnagl]

Hi Greg,

as far as I know a copyright is not preventing the use of something published but only the (unchanged) republishing of this. Thus it does not help to make it illegal to use such sourcecode in one's program (especially if its sourcecode keeps unpublished).

But I am not an expert. Nevertheless such difficulties convinced me, that if you would publish source code, you are losing control over it. And only if you are willing to live with that, publishing will not frustrate you. Discussing licensing conceps like GPL does not change anything, because you will not be able to internationally fight for your rights. It is too expensive, you will not understand foreign laws, and you mostly will not even have the chance to know all such misuses of your code.

Reinhard.