Re: Update some sim copyright headers to GPLv3-or-later

Mark Kettenis
2012-12-19T11:18:59Z

> Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:04:58 +0400
> From: Joel Brobecker <brobecker@adacore.com>
>
> > > As per a request from the FSF, I have updated the copyright headers
> > > of the non-FSF-copyrighted files from "GPL v2 or later" to "GPL v3
> > > or later".
> >
> > You can't do this without asking the copyright holders for permission first.
>
> I was told the contrary by Karl Berry, and asked to change.
> IANAL, but the "or (at your option) any later version" should
> give us the right to do so, right?

IANAL either, but only the copyright holder can change the license.
And to me changing the coyright headers as proposed does effectively
change the license, since "GPL v3 or later" is more restrictive than
"GPL v2 or later". Legal issues aside, I'd consider it impolite, even
dishonest, to change the license on somebody else's code without their
permission[1].

Mark

[1] By assigning copyright to the FSF we've given them explicit
permission to change the license, so I see no issue (legally or
morally) with making these changes for FSF-copyrighted files.