Message-ID:	<51CC8BA6EC01D1118E3200A024B9625B3BC0BB@mailhost.Probe.co.uk>
From:	Shawn Hargreaves <ShawnH AT Probe DOT co DOT uk>
To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	Re: GPL or my own copyright?
Date:	Mon, 12 Jan 1998 09:30:39 -0000
MIME-Version:	1.0

Ivan Baldo writes:
> What is the difference between protecting my software with GPL 
> license and my own copyright?

That would depend on the terms of your copyright, since you 
could obviously make one that was either more or less restrictive 
than the GPL. In general the GPL imposes quite a lot of 
restrictions (see recent discussion about patches to the djgpp 
libc) but these are all designed to make sure the software stays 
free and to prevent anyone from abusing it. It is up to you 
whether you feel happy with the GPL rules, but remember that 
you do always have the option of granting additional rights, like 
the djgpp copyright which is basically GPL but with a special 
permission from DJ that we can use libc more freely than a 
strict GPL would allow...

If you are planning on making a similar copyright of your own,
the GPL does have a couple of advantages: it has been carefully
checked so you can be sure there are no legal loopholes, and
most people are familiar enough with it that they will know 
exactly what is allowed as soon as they see it is GPL, rather
than needing to read your exact terms in detail...

	Shawn Hargreaves.

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