Are software licenses version-specific?
When you put a license in your software, is it bound to all the versions of your software, or only a specific version?
If I have licensed my software version 1 under license A, and then I developed version 2 but want to apply a different license B, am I free to do so? Is version 2 explicitly or implicitly still licensed under license A?
license-compatibility version-number
asked 4 hours ago
CykerCyker
1354
add a comment |
When you put a license in your software, is it bound to all the versions of your software, or only a specific version?
If I have licensed my software version 1 under license A, and then I developed version 2 but want to apply a different license B, am I free to do so? Is version 2 explicitly or implicitly still licensed under license A?
license-compatibility version-number
asked 4 hours ago
CykerCyker
1354
I'm pretty sure this has been asked and answered before, but I can't find the previous Q&A.
– Brandin
4 hours ago
Did you develop all of the software yourself (you own all the copyright) or are you including and redistributing other software or libraries (e.g. GPL software)?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
If you wrote everything yourself then this should answer your question already: Can I change license of my GPL project?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
@Brandin Thank you for the link. But that question doesn't fully answer if license A still applies to version 2 in my case. What if license A has a term that says it applies to all the upcoming versions? I haven't fully checked all the popular open source licenses for such terms.
– Cyker
3 hours ago
It depends whether you wrote everything yourself or whether you included other licensed source code in your distribution. And if you included other open source software in your distribution, it depends on what the license of those open source libraries are (e.g. GPL).
– Brandin
3 hours ago
add a comment |
When you put a license in your software, is it bound to all the versions of your software, or only a specific version?
If I have licensed my software version 1 under license A, and then I developed version 2 but want to apply a different license B, am I free to do so? Is version 2 explicitly or implicitly still licensed under license A?
license-compatibility version-number
asked 4 hours ago
CykerCyker
1354
When you put a license in your software, is it bound to all the versions of your software, or only a specific version?
If I have licensed my software version 1 under license A, and then I developed version 2 but want to apply a different license B, am I free to do so? Is version 2 explicitly or implicitly still licensed under license A?
license-compatibility version-number
license-compatibility version-number
asked 4 hours ago
CykerCyker
1354
asked 4 hours ago
CykerCyker
1354
asked 4 hours ago
CykerCyker
1354
asked 4 hours ago
CykerCyker
1354
asked 4 hours ago
CykerCyker
1354
1354
I'm pretty sure this has been asked and answered before, but I can't find the previous Q&A.
– Brandin
4 hours ago
Did you develop all of the software yourself (you own all the copyright) or are you including and redistributing other software or libraries (e.g. GPL software)?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
If you wrote everything yourself then this should answer your question already: Can I change license of my GPL project?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
@Brandin Thank you for the link. But that question doesn't fully answer if license A still applies to version 2 in my case. What if license A has a term that says it applies to all the upcoming versions? I haven't fully checked all the popular open source licenses for such terms.
– Cyker
3 hours ago
It depends whether you wrote everything yourself or whether you included other licensed source code in your distribution. And if you included other open source software in your distribution, it depends on what the license of those open source libraries are (e.g. GPL).
– Brandin
3 hours ago
add a comment |
I'm pretty sure this has been asked and answered before, but I can't find the previous Q&A.
– Brandin
4 hours ago
Did you develop all of the software yourself (you own all the copyright) or are you including and redistributing other software or libraries (e.g. GPL software)?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
If you wrote everything yourself then this should answer your question already: Can I change license of my GPL project?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
@Brandin Thank you for the link. But that question doesn't fully answer if license A still applies to version 2 in my case. What if license A has a term that says it applies to all the upcoming versions? I haven't fully checked all the popular open source licenses for such terms.
– Cyker
3 hours ago
It depends whether you wrote everything yourself or whether you included other licensed source code in your distribution. And if you included other open source software in your distribution, it depends on what the license of those open source libraries are (e.g. GPL).
– Brandin
3 hours ago
I'm pretty sure this has been asked and answered before, but I can't find the previous Q&A.
– Brandin
4 hours ago
I'm pretty sure this has been asked and answered before, but I can't find the previous Q&A.
– Brandin
4 hours ago
Did you develop all of the software yourself (you own all the copyright) or are you including and redistributing other software or libraries (e.g. GPL software)?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
Did you develop all of the software yourself (you own all the copyright) or are you including and redistributing other software or libraries (e.g. GPL software)?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
If you wrote everything yourself then this should answer your question already: Can I change license of my GPL project?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
If you wrote everything yourself then this should answer your question already: Can I change license of my GPL project?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
@Brandin Thank you for the link. But that question doesn't fully answer if license A still applies to version 2 in my case. What if license A has a term that says it applies to all the upcoming versions? I haven't fully checked all the popular open source licenses for such terms.
– Cyker
3 hours ago
@Brandin Thank you for the link. But that question doesn't fully answer if license A still applies to version 2 in my case. What if license A has a term that says it applies to all the upcoming versions? I haven't fully checked all the popular open source licenses for such terms.
– Cyker
3 hours ago
It depends whether you wrote everything yourself or whether you included other licensed source code in your distribution. And if you included other open source software in your distribution, it depends on what the license of those open source libraries are (e.g. GPL).
– Brandin
3 hours ago
It depends whether you wrote everything yourself or whether you included other licensed source code in your distribution. And if you included other open source software in your distribution, it depends on what the license of those open source libraries are (e.g. GPL).
– Brandin
3 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
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Firstly, since you are the sole author you are (presumably) the sole rightsholder, so you aren't bound by the licence anyway.
Secondly, licences don't inhere in software, they attach to software through the process of conveyance. As the rightsholder, you may give one copy to Alice under the terms of GPLv2, and she may use it only under those terms. You may give another copy to Bob under 3-clause BSD, and he may use it only subject to those terms. You may give a third copy to Carol under a proprietary licence, and those terms will apply to Carol's use, and so on.
Thirdly, none of this applies to people who aren't the rightsholder; they may only do what they are permitted to do by the licence that applies to their copy. If you've licensed a copy under GPLv2, users of that copy may do so only under the terms of GPLv2, which (inter alia) requires that further copies and derivative works be licensed under GPLv2. If you've licensed a copy under GPLv2+ ("GPLv2 or, at your option, any later version") then users of that copy may do so under GPLv2, GPLv3, or GPLv2+; the choice of which they use is left to them; further copies and derivative works will have to be licensed accordingly. If you've licensed a copy under 3-clause BSD, that licence makes no requirement for the licensing of derivative works, so users of that copy will have considerable latitude in choosing how to license any derivatives they might develop.
And as ever, IANAL/IANYL.
answered 2 hours ago
MadHatterMadHatter
8,1451534
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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Firstly, since you are the sole author you are (presumably) the sole rightsholder, so you aren't bound by the licence anyway.
Secondly, licences don't inhere in software, they attach to software through the process of conveyance. As the rightsholder, you may give one copy to Alice under the terms of GPLv2, and she may use it only under those terms. You may give another copy to Bob under 3-clause BSD, and he may use it only subject to those terms. You may give a third copy to Carol under a proprietary licence, and those terms will apply to Carol's use, and so on.
Thirdly, none of this applies to people who aren't the rightsholder; they may only do what they are permitted to do by the licence that applies to their copy. If you've licensed a copy under GPLv2, users of that copy may do so only under the terms of GPLv2, which (inter alia) requires that further copies and derivative works be licensed under GPLv2. If you've licensed a copy under GPLv2+ ("GPLv2 or, at your option, any later version") then users of that copy may do so under GPLv2, GPLv3, or GPLv2+; the choice of which they use is left to them; further copies and derivative works will have to be licensed accordingly. If you've licensed a copy under 3-clause BSD, that licence makes no requirement for the licensing of derivative works, so users of that copy will have considerable latitude in choosing how to license any derivatives they might develop.
And as ever, IANAL/IANYL.
answered 2 hours ago
MadHatterMadHatter
8,1451534
add a comment |
Firstly, since you are the sole author you are (presumably) the sole rightsholder, so you aren't bound by the licence anyway.
Secondly, licences don't inhere in software, they attach to software through the process of conveyance. As the rightsholder, you may give one copy to Alice under the terms of GPLv2, and she may use it only under those terms. You may give another copy to Bob under 3-clause BSD, and he may use it only subject to those terms. You may give a third copy to Carol under a proprietary licence, and those terms will apply to Carol's use, and so on.
Thirdly, none of this applies to people who aren't the rightsholder; they may only do what they are permitted to do by the licence that applies to their copy. If you've licensed a copy under GPLv2, users of that copy may do so only under the terms of GPLv2, which (inter alia) requires that further copies and derivative works be licensed under GPLv2. If you've licensed a copy under GPLv2+ ("GPLv2 or, at your option, any later version") then users of that copy may do so under GPLv2, GPLv3, or GPLv2+; the choice of which they use is left to them; further copies and derivative works will have to be licensed accordingly. If you've licensed a copy under 3-clause BSD, that licence makes no requirement for the licensing of derivative works, so users of that copy will have considerable latitude in choosing how to license any derivatives they might develop.
And as ever, IANAL/IANYL.
answered 2 hours ago
MadHatterMadHatter
8,1451534
add a comment |
Firstly, since you are the sole author you are (presumably) the sole rightsholder, so you aren't bound by the licence anyway.
Secondly, licences don't inhere in software, they attach to software through the process of conveyance. As the rightsholder, you may give one copy to Alice under the terms of GPLv2, and she may use it only under those terms. You may give another copy to Bob under 3-clause BSD, and he may use it only subject to those terms. You may give a third copy to Carol under a proprietary licence, and those terms will apply to Carol's use, and so on.
Thirdly, none of this applies to people who aren't the rightsholder; they may only do what they are permitted to do by the licence that applies to their copy. If you've licensed a copy under GPLv2, users of that copy may do so only under the terms of GPLv2, which (inter alia) requires that further copies and derivative works be licensed under GPLv2. If you've licensed a copy under GPLv2+ ("GPLv2 or, at your option, any later version") then users of that copy may do so under GPLv2, GPLv3, or GPLv2+; the choice of which they use is left to them; further copies and derivative works will have to be licensed accordingly. If you've licensed a copy under 3-clause BSD, that licence makes no requirement for the licensing of derivative works, so users of that copy will have considerable latitude in choosing how to license any derivatives they might develop.
And as ever, IANAL/IANYL.
answered 2 hours ago
MadHatterMadHatter
8,1451534
Firstly, since you are the sole author you are (presumably) the sole rightsholder, so you aren't bound by the licence anyway.
Secondly, licences don't inhere in software, they attach to software through the process of conveyance. As the rightsholder, you may give one copy to Alice under the terms of GPLv2, and she may use it only under those terms. You may give another copy to Bob under 3-clause BSD, and he may use it only subject to those terms. You may give a third copy to Carol under a proprietary licence, and those terms will apply to Carol's use, and so on.
Thirdly, none of this applies to people who aren't the rightsholder; they may only do what they are permitted to do by the licence that applies to their copy. If you've licensed a copy under GPLv2, users of that copy may do so only under the terms of GPLv2, which (inter alia) requires that further copies and derivative works be licensed under GPLv2. If you've licensed a copy under GPLv2+ ("GPLv2 or, at your option, any later version") then users of that copy may do so under GPLv2, GPLv3, or GPLv2+; the choice of which they use is left to them; further copies and derivative works will have to be licensed accordingly. If you've licensed a copy under 3-clause BSD, that licence makes no requirement for the licensing of derivative works, so users of that copy will have considerable latitude in choosing how to license any derivatives they might develop.
And as ever, IANAL/IANYL.
answered 2 hours ago
MadHatterMadHatter
8,1451534
answered 2 hours ago
MadHatterMadHatter
8,1451534
answered 2 hours ago
MadHatterMadHatter
8,1451534
answered 2 hours ago
MadHatterMadHatter
8,1451534
8,1451534
add a comment |
add a comment |
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I'm pretty sure this has been asked and answered before, but I can't find the previous Q&A.
– Brandin
4 hours ago
Did you develop all of the software yourself (you own all the copyright) or are you including and redistributing other software or libraries (e.g. GPL software)?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
If you wrote everything yourself then this should answer your question already: Can I change license of my GPL project?
– Brandin
4 hours ago
@Brandin Thank you for the link. But that question doesn't fully answer if license A still applies to version 2 in my case. What if license A has a term that says it applies to all the upcoming versions? I haven't fully checked all the popular open source licenses for such terms.
– Cyker
3 hours ago
It depends whether you wrote everything yourself or whether you included other licensed source code in your distribution. And if you included other open source software in your distribution, it depends on what the license of those open source libraries are (e.g. GPL).
– Brandin
3 hours ago