[Savannah-register-public] [task #7793] Submission of Opéra Libre

[Sylvain Beucler]

Follow-up Comment #3, task #7793 (project administration):

Hi,

First, please not that I'm not a lawyer; I'm a volunteer in the GNU Savannah
administration and this is essentially my own point of view.

The FSF generally recommends to avoid writing new licenses (or modifying
existing license) for various reasons, including compatibility (work under
different licenses often cannot be combined), and to avoid unfortunately
misworded sentences to change the free-ness of the license.


In this case, after reading the license I understood is that you expected
for-fee performances to be generally forbidden unless one get your
authorization. From your answer though, it appears to be the opposite :)

As far as I understand a performance of a GPL'd score would be _using_ the
copyrighted work, and would therefore be allowed in any condition, with or
without fee.
I can understand though that some people don't like seeing the GNU GPL for
other works than software where it wasn't necessarily meant to be. For example
maybe performers would have to distribute CDs with the source code of the
opera to all spectators. I have doubts on Chris Sawer's interpretation
though.

If you do  want to use the GNU GPL for your work, I may ask our licensing
team about caveats in the context of a music score - I'm not sure we'll have a
answer, but I could ask :) If yes it would help to know your reasons to use
the GNU GPL (as opposed to Art Libre, or Creative Commons by-sa which, while
not adapted to software, has specific wording for performances). This is not a
criticism, it's a request for more information :)

You may want to check http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/license-list.html,
section 
"Licenses for Works Besides Software and Documentation" for a list of
licenses that the GNU project recommends - including, indeed, the GNU GPL ;)

Adding exceptions to the GNU GPL may be an option, but we generally recommend
using existing licenses rather than risking writing a new one.


This is an interesting topic and don't know if this answers your questions.
Feel free to ask if you have more :)


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