"Perl 5 license" issue. about software-license HOT 6 OPEN

@Grinnz You are absolutely right. All contributors own their copyright and should be respected for it. If my comment was rude, I apologize. I do not intend to tell contributors or anyone else what to do or what not to do. My aim is to assist if someone is looking for help regarding the license jungle and other issues.

from software-license.

Why is this an issue, both the GPL and AL are published in the same document?

Similarly, if the license in Perl_5.pm was to change, then
subsequent releases via dist::zilla etc would change the
license terms with minimal consent from the author(s) &
copyright holders.

This holds true for every change in a License.pm file and is not specific to Perl_5.pm

from software-license.

This is indeed something to be wary of, and why some instead say "the license of Perl v5.10" or similar more specific verbiage. But in practicality, it would be impossible for Perl 5 to change its license, so it's a theoretical issue.

from software-license.

Whats interesting about Artistic 1.0 is that it has the concept of a "Copyright Holder" who "maintains some semblance of artistic control over the development of the package" and gives users "the right to make reasonable modifications"

The "Copyright Holder" is whoever is named in the copyright or copyrights for the package.

Whilst relicensing would normally require contacting every contributor or removing code, this "Copyright Holder" provides a quirk whereby only those listed hold copyright controls.

Looking at https://metacpan.org/dist/perl/view/pod/perl.pod there is only an "AUTHOR" section with Larry Wall listed. Then there is an AUTHORS file https://github.com/Perl/perl5/blob/blead/AUTHORS which purpose is to "To give due honour to those who have made Perl 5 what it is today" and therefore not claiming to be a list of "Copyright Holders" per A1.0

On this basis, I would make the argument that only larry wall has copyright control of Perl and relicense only requires his blessing.

from software-license.

At https://github.com/Perl/perl5/blob/blead/README Larry Wall is stated as copyright holder, not only as author. Furthermore, there are "other" copyright holders mentioned but without name. So it remains unclear whether further copyright holders exist and who they are. It may be the case that each author/contributor holds the copyright for the contribution they did.

from software-license.

Much like technical aspects of Perl, what's written down doesn't matter as much as the reality that all contributors innately own the copyright of their contributions, and I don't think anyone is interested in having lawyers argue that one way or another.

from software-license.