Re: Using relocatable-script in a GPLv2-only program

[Bruno Haible]

Hi Reuben,

> I am working on my new version of libpaper, collaborating with a Debian
> maintainer to get it into Debian. This has thrown up some licensing issues,
> most of which I have been able to resolve, thanks to gnulib's flexible
> licensing options.
> 
> I have one remaining problem: I use a legacy script from the old version of
> libpaper which is GPLv2-only. I want to make the package relocatable, so I
> want to use the relocatable-script module, but this is GPLv3+-only.
> 
> What can I do?

You have already done the right thing: write to us :)

The file whose copyright matters is build-aux/relocatable.sh.in. I am the
sole contributor of copyright-relevant pieces to this file, therefore I
may relicense this module.

But first, the obligatory question: Can't you move the package to GPLv2+?
That's what would be most in line with GNU policies, since 2007. But from
what you wrote, I understand that the "legacy script" is of significant
size, and if I say no, I'm not helping you modernize libpaper.

So, I change the license:


2022-11-01  Bruno Haible  <bruno@clisp.org>

        relocatable-script: Relax license.
        * modules/relocatable-script (License): Change to GPLv2+.
        * build-aux/relocatable.sh.in: Change copyright header to GPLv2+.

diff --git a/build-aux/relocatable.sh.in b/build-aux/relocatable.sh.in
index 893f1994f7..e085b10005 100644
--- a/build-aux/relocatable.sh.in
+++ b/build-aux/relocatable.sh.in
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@
 #
 # Copyright (C) 2003-2022 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 #
-# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
-# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
-# (at your option) any later version.
+# This file is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published
+# by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License,
+# or (at your option) any later version.
 #
-# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# This file is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 # but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 # MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
 # GNU General Public License for more details.
diff --git a/modules/relocatable-script b/modules/relocatable-script
index 5793dfbde1..eb0970fb95 100644
--- a/modules/relocatable-script
+++ b/modules/relocatable-script
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Makefile.am:
 Include:
 
 License:
-GPL
+GPLv2+
 
 Maintainer:
 Ben Pfaff