Re: [libreplanet-discuss] WTFPL Worse License Ever?

[Ramana Kumar]

On 20 December 2015 at 03:02, Mark Holmquist <mtraceur@member.fsf.org> wrote:

The GPL, for all the good it does in the world, is a more complex license to administer and enforce. You must include license headers in all of the files in your project, for example, which may not be a viable option for some, or may be a step that others ignore.

It's a common misconception that the GPL is somehow distinguished in requiring you to include license headers in all the files in your project, because the FSF explicitly recommends doing so. However, this is not a GPL-specific recommendation. See http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#NoticeInSourceFile. You should be doing that with any free license.

I'd say the GPL is distinguished in that its stewards have done their research and care about the purpose of a copyright license for promoting software freedom, and the legal mechanisms for implementing it. Others (like the WTFPL author) seem to think licensing is just a statement of philosophy or just for fun, and not a legal tool with a specific purpose.