Re: Changing top level files and include/ files over to GPLv3

[Alexandre Oliva <aoliva@redhat.com>]

On Jul  6, 2007, Mark Mitchell <mark@codesourcery.com> wrote:

> As was asked on the binutils list, I'd like to understand whether or
> not we can backport GPLv3 changes to GPLv2 code.

Since this is in the context of GCC, and GCC is under GPLv2+ (plus
run-time exception where appropriate), the answer is yes, anyone can
backport GPLv3 changes to earlier GPLv2+ code bases.  I suppose the
question is whether the resulting combination could then be released
under GPLv2+, or whether it would have to be GPLv3+ (or say GPLv3).

At which point I wonder why someone would have problems upgrading the
license of an earlier GCC code base.  Can anyone list any reasons why
this upgrade would be objectionable, considering that it was widely
(?) known that GCC (and any other FSF-owned code) would upgrade to
GPLv3 pretty much as soon as it was available?

Thanks,

-- 
Alexandre Oliva         http://www.lsd.ic.unicamp.br/~oliva/
FSF Latin America Board Member         http://www.fsfla.org/
Red Hat Compiler Engineer   aoliva@{redhat.com, gcc.gnu.org}
Free Software Evangelist  oliva@{lsd.ic.unicamp.br, gnu.org}