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Diffstat (limited to 'content/learn/copyleft.md')
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diff --git a/content/learn/copyleft.md b/content/learn/copyleft.md index 73ded5c..2c4072e 100644 --- a/content/learn/copyleft.md +++ b/content/learn/copyleft.md @@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ weight: -8 encourage the proliferation of free software and protect free software from being incorporated into non-free works. This works by giving you not only the *right* to share your improvements, but the *obligation* to share your -improvements under some conditions. It is very important to understand these -obligations when re-using copyleft software in your own work. +improvements under the same conditions when the software is distributed. It is +very important to understand these obligations when re-using copyleft software +in your own work. {{< tip >}} **Terminology note**: @@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ Copyleft licenses address some of these problems: ensuring that work built on top of free software grows and benefits the free software ecosystem. 2. Copyleft ensures that those who improve or re-use free software share their - changes with the community, so that all users can benefit from their + changes with their users, so that the community can benefit from their improvements. Copyleft software can be sold, like all other free software, but requiring that @@ -64,8 +65,8 @@ Copyleft licenses differ in how strongly their copyleft clauses affect re-use of the software. For example, the weak copyleft [Mozilla Public License][MPL] is *file-based*, such that the copyleft clause covers individual source code files, and not the project as a whole: you can drop one of these files into any project -without having to relicense the larger project, so long as you re-publish any -changes to those specific files. +without having to relicense the larger project, so long as you distribute any +changes to those specific files under the same license terms. [MPL]: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/MPL/2.0/ @@ -83,8 +84,8 @@ program as the software artifact to which the copyleft clause applies. On the far end of the copyleft spectrum are licenses like the [GNU Affero General Public License][AGPL], which extends the <abbr title="GNU General Public License">GPL</abbr> to apply to software used over a network, such as databases, -and considers users of that software "recipients" of the software, who are thus -entitled to receive the source code. +and considers end users of that software "recipients" of the software, who are +thus entitled to receive the source code. [AGPL]: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl-3.0.html @@ -98,7 +99,8 @@ conditions permitted by its license, and will likely be limited to the use of weak copyleft works. For example, if your software depends on a library which uses the <abbr title="GNU Lesser General Public License">LGPL</abbr>, you may use any license for your own work but need to share changes you make to the -library itself. If the software uses the GPL or AGPL, you will be more +library itself when you distribute the software to third parties. If the +software uses the GPL or AGPL, you will be more constrained in your approach. Read the license terms carefully and consult a lawyer if you are unsure how to proceed. |