[ale] GPL Question.

[Bob Toxen]

On Mon, Mar 15, 2004 at 04:25:53PM -0500, Keith Morris - IQ wrote:
> Recently I have been playing with PHP-Nuke which is released under the 
> GPL. In a couple of places, the php code has comments that say that you 
> *MUST* leave some information which PHP-Nuke displays on it's generated 
> pages intact (things like "Web site engine code is Copyright ? 2003 by 
> PHP-Nuke. All Rights Reserved. PHP-Nuke is Free Software released under 
> the GNU/GPL license.")

> But if I want to remove these sections, even though the code says I must 
> ask for explicit permission from the author to remove this, doesn't the 
> fact that it is being released under the GPL allow me to do whatever I 
> want with this as long as I am not redistributing it?
The GPL does *not* allow you to do whatever you want.  It is quite
specific in what you can do.  Legally, the GPL is nothing more than a
license saying what you can do with their copyrighted software.

One may use copyrighted material only in ways that the copyright holder
allows.  Copying and altering are specifically forbidden unless the holder
allows you to and then only on the holder's terms.  Removing a copyright
notice is illegal and could subject you to fines of $250,000 or more.

> just curious...

> -- 
> :: Keith Morris
> :: Creative Director
> :: Design / Effects
> :: IQ television group
> :: Atlanta, GA
> :: 404.255.3550
> :: http://www.iqtv.com

Bob Toxen
bob at verysecurelinux.com               [Please use for email to me]
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   -- Bob Toxen 10/03/2002