Where does the GPL v2 say anything that prevents you from returning patches GPL v2 or later if you received it GPL v2 or later?

You keep on making this assertion, and you're wrong. Obviously you think that you're right, so please quote, chapter and verse what in the GPL v2 forces this to be true, and explain your reasoning.

You've ignored me before when I've explained why the GPL v2 doesn't require this, but let me waste time once more explaining why. Here's the situation. Bob receives a program from Alice that is licensed GPL v2 or later. The GPL v3 has terms that are incompatible with the GPL v2. Bob makes modifications, marks them in accord with the GPL v2, and distributes this to Jane, and wants to make the modified version licensed GPL v2 or later. For the sake of simplicity, Bob is distributing this in code form, with the same licensing information attached that he received, and the program is not interactive. Does that pass muster with the GPL?

Section by section let's see.


  1. He is not distributing a verbatim copy, so this section does not apply.
  2. He has modified, so he needs to meet this section's requirements.
    1. He has added the necessary notices. Check.
    2. The whole is available under the GPL v2. Check. (It is also available under the GPL v3...)
    3. It is not interactive, so this is satisfied.

  3. He is not distributing in object or executable form, so this section does not apply.
  4. He is attempting to operate under this license, so this prohibition does not apply.
  5. He accepts this license, so this section is not an issue.
  6. This applies to Jane, not Bob.
  7. Let's suppose that there has not yet been a court order triggering this section.
  8. Let's assume that Alice has not triggered this section.
  9. This section explicitly says that it is OK for Jane to choose to receive the code under GPL v3 no matter how that license may differ from GPL v2. Again, not a problem.
  10. We are not trying to incorporate this into a program with different licensing, this section does not apply.
  11. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO CLAIM A WARRANTY. FINE.
  12. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO CLAIM LIABILITY. FINE.

Oops, that was the end of the terms and conditions.

We did not encounter a single problem! What Bob wants to do is OK!



Please explain why you think that the GPL requires that Bob not do what I outlined in this scenario. Be specific. Quote chapter and verse what in the GPL Bob is violating, and explain why Bob's actions violate it.

Regards,
Ben