Re: helix setup tools?

[Andy Tai <atai ece ucsd edu>]

> Assigning the copyright to the FSF means that if we want to change the
> license from the GPL to the LGPL we could not be able to do this as
> the FSF might want more code to fall under the GPL than under the
> LGPL.


Assigning the copyright to the FSF still allows the 
original author to distribute under different license terms.  See
this message on the gcc mailing list:
http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2000-05/msg00950.html



> Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 08:40:11 -0600 (MDT)
> Message-Id: <200005241440.IAA04435@wijiji.santafe.edu>
> From: Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
> Subject: Re: copyright assignment: joined ownership?
> Reply-to: rms@gnu.org
> 
>     Mr. Stallman, this is just a small suggestion. Maybe the FSF can consider
>     allowing joined ownership of copyright of source code. 
> 
> I don't believe this is legally possible.
> 
>     FSF can require that the assigned or joinly owned code, and their
>     derivatives, must be always available under the GPL, but the
>     original author can release the source code under additional,
>     different licenses or ways.
> 
> That is the way we do things now.  The contributor always has the
> option of using his own contribution in any way whatever.  That's
> because our assignment contracts explicitly say so.
> 
> So it looks like you're trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.
> It is just a misunderstanding.  Would you please pass the word?
> 
>