GPL and unit/conf files

[zbyszek@xxxxxxxxx (Zbigniew Jędrzejewski-Szmek)]

On Fri, May 11, 2018 at 02:21:30PM +0100, Paul Jakma wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> logind.conf has a GPL header, as do things like getty at .service.

An LGPL header actually, *library*.

All you need to do, is to keep the possibility to modify/destribute
that .conf file.
 
> If I needed to make changes to logind.conf, and wanted to bundle a
> modified logind.conf with a GPL-incompatible application, is that
> allowed?
Yes.

> Similarlty, if I wanted to replace getty at .service with my
> own console handler, can I start with a modified getty at .service unit
> file to launch it and bundle that with said application?
Yes.

> Is each setting in those files copyrighted? Or is there some
> threshold, where if I re-use enough of those settings in my file,
> that the GPL applies? Are certain combinations of settings in
> logind.conf or such unit files copyrighted?
That's debatable. I'd say that even the whole file is not
copyrightable, but don't quote me on that.

> Does it even make sense to put these settings/config files under the
> GPL? If a copyright notice is required, might the FSF all-permissive
> licence be better for such files?
It's easier for us to reuse the same header and license everywhere.
Since it's just LGPL, it does not really restrict use.

Zbyszek