[Foundation-l] GFDL and relicensing

[Ray Saintonge]

Delphine Ménard wrote:
> So I agree that my work is still under the license I chose to start
> with, but in France, or Germany, I would probably have a case if I
> said that I wanted my content to be taken away from a website which by
> default adopted both licenses (the older and the newer one).
>
> This does leave the question of the recourse I have if
> some_evil_person decides to use the content I produced under the new
> license and thus bar it from further modifications or on the contrary
> gets rid of all restrictions. Doesn't it? I mean my work is then
> spread out there under conditions I might not agree to.
>
> As David Gerard puts it though, it's all small talk until someone goes
> to court and wins. Interesting nonetheless.
This confusion is the story of copyright.  Few if any of the thorny 
issues of international copyright law have been tested in the courts, 
and that includes free licensing arrangements.  The only point that 
governments have effectively established is their total incompetence to 
deal with the situation.  Most of it won't ever get into the courts 
anywhere unless some affluent vested interest is affected.  Which should 
we fault more for failing to foresee the internet, Queen Anne or Napoleon.

Ec