Copyleft

2 definitions found

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  copyleft /kop'ee-left/ n. [play on `copyright'] 1. The copyright notice
     (`General Public License') carried by {GNU} {EMACS} and other Free
     Software Foundation software, granting reuse and reproduction rights to
     all comers (but see also {General Public Virus}). 2. By extension, any
     copyright notice intended to achieve similar aims.
  


  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  copyleft
       
           /kop'ee-left/ (A play on "copyright") The {copyright}
          notice and {General Public License} applying to the works of
          the {Free Software Foundation}, granting reuse and
          reproduction rights to everyone.
       
          Typically copyrights take away freedoms; copyleft preserves
          them.  It is a legal instrument that requires those who pass
          on a program to include the rights to use, modify, and
          redistribute the code; the code and the freedoms become
          legally inseparable.
       
          The copyleft used by the GNU Project combines a regular
          copyright notice and the "GNU General Public License" (GPL).
          The GPL is a copying license which basically says that you
          have the aforementioned freedoms.  The license is included in
          each GNU source code distribution and manual.
       
          See also {General Public Virus}.
       
          [{Jargon File}]
       
          (1995-04-18)