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Small error in the last paragraph - users vs. developers license

Story: The GPLv3 Debate: Viewing The LandscapeTotal Replies: 5
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alisonken1

Nov 01, 2006
3:30 PM EST 		It is not even about whether Stallman is trying to tell others what to do with their code - only users can choose the license, and that must be done on its merits.

Actually, it's the developer/programmer who decides on which license to use. The user has no choice in what license the developer chooses to use for his/her creative work.
dcparris

Nov 01, 2006
3:52 PM EST 		Thanks for pointing that out. I've corrected it.
jezuch

Nov 02, 2006
2:44 PM EST 		License is an agreement - both sides have to "choose", actually. But when there's only one choice (e.g. when the code is offered under GPL only), it gets reduced to "developer decides".

That's how I see it, anyway.
dcparris

Nov 02, 2006
3:11 PM EST 		Well, my intent was to refer to the one choosing which license to use for distributing their software. That is usually the developer. ;-) Anyway, I have to thank alisonken1 for pointing out the need for clarification.
davidshields

Nov 04, 2006
6:58 PM EST 		More precisely, it's the copyright owner -- and only the copyright owner -- who decides how the code is licensed. For example, if the developer works for a company that creates and sells software, it's likely that the developer signed an agreement giving the company rights to all the programs he writes while on the job, so in this case the company owns the copyright, and so gets to write the license, even though the developer wrote the code.
dcparris

Nov 04, 2006
7:36 PM EST 		That's correct. I ain't changing again though. People should, by now, know what I'm getting at. ;-)

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