Copyleft
[kop-ee-left] /ˈkɒp iˌlɛft/
noun
1.
the right to freely use, modify, copy, and share software, works of art, etc., on the condition that these rights be granted to all subsequent users or owners.
verb (used with object)
2.
to secure copyleft for (software, works of art, etc.)
legal
/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)
Read Also:
- Copy module
copybook
- Copy-paper
noun 1. paper specially prepared for the writing of advertising copy, newspaper copy, etc., usually having guidelines to indicate margins and the number of spaces per line.
- Copy-protection
noun, Computers. 1. a routine that is included in a program by its publisher to prevent the software from being duplicated except for a single backup copy.
- Copyread
[kop-ee-reed] /ˈkɒp iˌrid/ verb (used with object), copyread [kop-ee-ee-red] /ˈkɒp i i rɛd/ (Show IPA), copyreading [kop-ee-ree-ding] /ˈkɒp iˌri dɪŋ/ (Show IPA) 1. to work on (copy) as a . /ˈkɒpɪˌriːd/ verb -reads, -reading, -read 1. (US) to subedit
- Copy-read
[kop-ee-reed] /ˈkɒp iˌrid/ verb (used with object), copyread [kop-ee-ee-red] /ˈkɒp i i rɛd/ (Show IPA), copyreading [kop-ee-ree-ding] /ˈkɒp iˌri dɪŋ/ (Show IPA) 1. to work on (copy) as a . /ˈkɒpɪˌriːd/ verb -reads, -reading, -read 1. (US) to subedit