[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #16100: Licensing Issue: Akismet Plugin external conflicts GPL version in it's readme.txt for WordPress package

[WordPress Trac]

#16100: Licensing Issue: Akismet Plugin external conflicts GPL version in it's
readme.txt for WordPress package
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 Reporter:  hakre         |       Owner:  josephscott
     Type:  defect (bug)  |      Status:  reopened
 Priority:  normal        |   Milestone:  WordPress.org
Component:  General       |     Version:  3.0.2
 Severity:  critical      |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                |
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Comment (by hakre):

 Replying to [comment:13 nacin]:
 > Yes, Akismet is released under the GPLv2 (or later), same as WordPress.

 Yes I've understood that Akismet right now is licensend under GPLv2+ and
 that it is said of WordPress for the next release beign GPLv2+ and for
 trunk since 14th of January or so.

 But that was not what I was concerned about with my comment.

 As the akismet code has been relicensed as GPL (no version given) by
 wordpress.org in 3.0.2 (that is what this ticket is about) and the authors
 of Akismet had not given the rights to relicense their software under GPL,
 the distribution of the code was technically violating the terms of their
 license.

 The GPL v2 (their license) under these situation automatically terminates
 all rights of use for the WordPress project. That means, that from on
 3.0.2 technically the WordPress project was no longer allowed to even copy
 the code into their package.

 To get in compliance again, the original copyright holder (here:
 automattic) should be contacted and the reinstatement of rights should be
 asked for. Additionally, if they make the use of the code under the terms
 of the GPL (no version given) okay for the 3.0.2 and above packages for
 the past, this would make everything okay for the project.

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Ticket URL: <http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/16100#comment:14>
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