[cc-community] Why the GPL-incompatibility?

drew Roberts zotz at 100jamz.com
Sat Feb 10 10:09:33 EST 2007


On Saturday 10 February 2007 09:56 am, Daniel Brockman wrote:
> Hi Greg,
>
> >> Why are all the Creative Commons licenses incompatible
> >> with the GPL?
> >
> > (broad brushstrokes follow.  Nit-pickers need not apply)
> >
> > If you're talking about converting content between the
> > CC-SA and GNU-GPL licenses, then the problem is basically
> > a side effect of copyleft.
>
> [...]
>
> Thank you very much for the good and clear explanation of
> why copyleft licenses are unlikely to be compatible.
>
> The license I am most interested in, however, is CC-BY.
>
> > Since no CC license has a "source code" requirement,
> > I don't think any CC license will ever be directly
> > interchangable with GNU-GPL.
>
> Let me ask this:  How come the BSD license (among others)
> manages to be compatible with the GPL, but CC-BY fails?

If it is incompatible, I would think it would be becuase the attribution 
requirements are functioning along the lines of the advertising clause inthe 
original BSD licenses. I am sure google will give you lots of info for these 
search terms.
>
> I have tried to understand the text of CC-BY, but it keeps
> giving me headaches.
>
> This part, for example, seems to say that it is copyleft:
>
>    4. Restrictions.  The license granted in Section 3 above
>    is expressly made subject to and limited by the following
>    restrictions:
>
>       1. You may distribute, publicly display, publicly
>       perform, or publicly digitally perform the Work only
>       under the terms of this License, and You must include
>       a copy of, or the Uniform Resource Identifier for,
>       this License with every copy or phonorecord of the
>       Work You distribute, publicly display, publicly
>       perform, or publicly digitally perform.  You may not
>       offer or impose any terms on the Work that alter or
>       restrict the terms of this License or the recipients'
>       exercise of the rights granted hereunder.

This is referring to the work or public performances of the work and not to 
derivatives of the work. It is for derivatives where you can change the 
license in keeping with the requirements of the license.
>
> I am such a legalese-illiterate.
>
> > I hope this helps.
>
> It does.  Thank you.

I hope this helps as well. It is a guess, but if it is wrong, it may prompt 
corrections.

all the best,

drew
-- 
(da idea man)


More information about the cc-community mailing list