Re: license issue: calling a GPLv2 library

[David Kastrup]

Merijn de Weerd <merijn+nospam@realemail.net> writes:

> On 2006-06-22, David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org> wrote:
>> We are talking about a "license agreement" here, like when somebody
>> clicks "I agree".  There is no such process for the GPL.  
>
> Then why does the GPL article 5 say:
>
>     Therefore, by modifying or distributing the Program (or any work
>     based on the Program), you indicate your acceptance of this
>     License to do so, and all its terms and conditions for copying,
>     distributing or modifying the Program or works based on it.
>
> That sure looks to me like a mechanism to derive acceptance
> of the GPL.

Not really.  You can't sue people to accept the license.  You can only
sue them to heed it.

> Not saying that makes it a contract under US common law, but this is
> a process to make people agree to the terms of the license.

Not really.  It is just pointing out to people that not having signed
anything does not make any difference with regard to having to heed
the license in case they want to make use of the rights it grants
above the default.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum