Why is Fedora not a Free GNU/Linux distributions?

[Les Mikesell]

Gordon Messmer wrote:
> 
>>> I strongly recommend that you read:
>>> http://www.softwarefreedom.org/resources/2007/gpl-non-gpl-collaboration.html 
>>
>>

>> Not necessarily, because it can't be included unless the GPL applies.
> 
> Any code under a compatible license can be combined with GPL code.  The 
> GPL applies to the "work as a whole", but does not remove the license 
> from the other parts which are under compatible licenses.  They can be 
> removed from the GPLed work and reused under their original license, as 
> protected by copyright law, and as outlined by the link above.

That may be what the link says.  It's not what the license actually 
says.  And probably not what many copyright holders understand it to say.

> The GPL doesn't actually change the terms of 
> the permissively licensed code.

It says it does within the distribution as a whole.  If the terms don't 
apply would it mention the work-as-a-whole at all?

And of course this doesn't help with the prohibition against licenses 
that are actually free like the MPL and CDDL at all.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com