Re: Evolution copyright assignment: Storm in a teacup

[Richard Stallman <rms gnu org>]

    My recollection (and Nat could correct me if wrong) is that if we were
    forbidden to release the code under the GPL because of a patent
    restriction the commitment was to *still* publish the code under an some
    free software approved license.   

If the code requires a patent license, and you publish it under a free
software license that lacks a "liberty or death" clause like that of
the GPL, the net result is that the program becomes non-free.  So
this, rather than being a solution, is a path towards surrender and
defeat.

One can imagine a case in which a patent holder offers a patent
license to release under some other free software license, but not
under the GNU GPL.  In that case alone, what you're suggesting might
be a solution.  I say "might" because, if this license doesn't
contain  "liberty or death" clause, the next patent that gets through
the shields could make it non-free.