GPL compliance

[Alan McKinnon]

On Sat, 2006-07-01 at 22:07 +0200, Alexander Skwar wrote:
> > 1) By default, a computer program cannot be distributed.
> > 2) The author places the GPL on the program.
> > 3) The program can now be distributed or modified, as long as the
> > requirements are met.
> 
> Is that actually true? I can't believe that (which doesn't
> mean anything, that's certainly true *G*). What should somebody
> stop from distributing his program? Further, I'd rather say,
> that it's the other way around - you need to specify, what's
> not allowed. But that's a guts feeling and very likely depends
> on the country where, hmm, the distributor? (or who?) sits.

I think the original post is not entirely clear. I understand the
situation to be that the author of a creative work (in most parts of the
world) automatically has certain rights under copyright law - he/she
does not have to claim copyright to have copyright. This naturally means
that I cannot distribute your code unless you say I can. So #1 ought to
be "By default, a computer program cannot be distributed by someone not
it's author"

alan