Re: GPL and other licences

[David Kastrup]

Graham Murray <newspost@gmurray.org.uk> writes:

> David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org> writes:
>
>> Your access is limited to what the owner of the copy allows you to do
>> with it.  The GPL grants rights to the owner of the copy, not to you.
>> Since you have not bought or otherwise acquired ownership of the copy,
>> you don't get the rights associated with its ownership.
>
> No. The owner of the physical copy does not have the authority to
> permit creation of additional copies or modifications. Only the
> copyright owner has that authority.

But the copyright owner does not have the authority to grant anybody
physical access to the physical copy owned by somebody else.

> The copyright owner has, by licensing under the GPL, given
> permission for copies and modifications to be made

For the owner of a physical copy.

> and for the these (possibly modified) copies to be distributed
> subject to certain conditions specified in the GPL.

For the owner of a physical copy.

> You do not have to be the owner of the copy in order to exercise the
> rights given in the GPL.

You have to be the owner, period.

> For example you borrow from the library a book which comes with a CD
> containing GPL'd software. Under the terms of the GPL are you not
> entitled to make a copy of that software before returning the book
> and CD to the library? You do not need the library's (owner of the
> physical copy you copied) permission to do so.

Not?  You mean, I can just walk into a library and start scanning with
a hand scanner or a digital camera from media that happen to contain
public domain material, without actually borrowing the stuff out?

You'll find that this is not the case.  You have to meet the library's
conditions for borrowing the stuff, and only then they'll grant you
access to it pursuant to the conditions of the copyright holder as
permitted to them.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum