Subject: [Nel] RE: GPL confusion

From: "Jon Watte" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 10:19:49 -0800

> Therefore, the current development code is in the public 
> domain, therefore should be published.

I find two things confusing about this sentence.

1) Something that is under GPL is explicitly NOT in the public 
domain, as something under the GPL suffers substantially more 
restrictive licensing than something that is in the public 
domain. Basically, if it's in the PD, you can do what you want 
to it, except POSSIBLY not mis-represent the origin. The GPL 
imposes many more strictures on your use of the code.

2) The GPL only requires that source code is made available 
free of charge to anyone who purchases binaries, and that no 
restrictions are made on the purchaser's rights to use that 
source code (including subsequent redistribution). If Ryzom is 
not for sale to anyone, then there is no requirement for the 
developers thereof to make any source code available.

Now, the GPL may have changed slightly since I last read it 
through in full, but your statement does not seem to be based 
on the actual language of the GPL.