Re: [Fsfe-uk] Liberated software

[Chris Croughton]

On Sat, Oct 09, 2004 at 08:02:31PM +0100, Sam Liddicott wrote:

> Chris Croughton wrote:
> 
> >Or you could use another word.  I think that "software libre" (which the
> >Americans would probably spell "liber", thus confusing freedom with
> >books, but how many people know Latin these days or care?) has more
> >chance of being adopted.  I would happily use that term, but getting the
> >FSF to change name...
> >
> On reflection, how about "Copyleft"?
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyleft

A fine word (I appreciate puns), pity that it's got a specific meaning
which doesn't apply to all Free Software (BSD, X11, Mozilla, Zlib, and
many other licences).  Specifically, 'copyleft' insists that a licence
must impose itself on all derived works, even if such works are
'derived' only through using the copylefted work as part of the
software.

> Most people don't have a preconceived understanding, and yet the correct 
> interpretation in the main is semi-intuitive.
> Its also vague enough to cover what most "friends" would mean by 
> free-software close to our own interpretation.
> It is also in accordance with the history and traditions of the FSF.
> 
> Could the term "copyleft software" catch on in the public?

If it didn't have that specific meaning, yes.  But I doubt that the FSF
would like me using it for the licences on my software.  If they would
like to withdraw that requirement, and use 'copyleft' to include the
BSD, Zlib and other licences which they consider 'free', I think it
would catch on very well and get a good following from people in other
fields (like authors, most authors I know aren't all that bothered about
copyright but their agents and the agents' lawyers are less flexible).
I know quite a number of songwriters and composers who support
'copyleft' in that sense with their IP as well (like composers pre-1800,
they regard imitation, parody and other 'modification' as a form of
flattery, not as a threat).

Chris C