from Jörg Mayer: "a proposed change to the COPYING file"

from ULFL: some minor changes to wording and alike

svn path=/trunk/; revision=23507

1 files changed, 24 insertions, 10 deletions

diff --git a/COPYING b/COPYING
index a853e51709..5586d893e8 100644
--- a/COPYING
+++ b/COPYING
@@ -1,26 +1,40 @@
-Wireshark is distributed under the GNU GPL.  There are no restrictions
-on its use.  There are significant restrictions on its distribution.
+This text consists of two parts:
 
-Most parts of Wireshark are covered by a "GPL version 2 or later" LICENSE.
+Part I: Some remarks regarding the license given in
+Part II: The actual license that coveres Wireshark.
+
+When in doubt: Part II is the legally binding part, Part I is just
+there to make it easier for people that are not familiar with the
+GPLv2.
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+Part I:
+
+Wireshark is distributed under the GNU GPLv2. There are no restrictions
+on its use. There are restrictions on its distribution in source or
+binary form.
+
+Most parts of Wireshark are covered by a "GPL version 2 or later" license.
 Some files are covered by different licenses that are compatible with
 the GPLv2.
+
 As a notable exception the pidl utility at tools/pidl is covered by a
-"GPL version 3 or later" LICENSE. Note that only the tool itself
+"GPL version 3 or later" license. Note that only the tool itself
 is covered by this license, not the source code generated by it. The
-pidl authors do not consider that code a derived work of pidl.
+pidl authors do not consider generated code a derived work of pidl.
 
-Parts of Wireshark can be built and distributed as libraries.  These
+Parts of Wireshark can be built and distributed as libraries. These
 parts are still covered by the GPL, and NOT by the Lesser General Public
 License or any other license.
 
-If you create a combined work using all or part of Wireshark, then your
-combined work must be released under a license compatible with the GPL.
-
-...and don't get us started on trademarks.
+If you integrate all or part of Wireshark into your own application, then 
+that application must be released under a license compatible with the GPL.
 
 The full text of the GNU GPL follows.
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+Part II:
 
 		    GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
 		       Version 2, June 1991