BSD/Gpl as opposed to Public Domain

> From: Simon deWeerdt <[email protected]>

> licenses.  I meant
> to use the term public domain to indicate that the software 
> was intended
> to be kept out of private domain, proprietary applications.  The way I
> wrote it was confusing and I appreciate you helping to point out the
> difference between Public Domain and GPL.

"PUBLIC DOMAIN" has a very specific meaning, which is that the material is NOT covered by copyright.  All material where the copyright has expired for example is in the public domain.  (in the States that means stuff from the early 1930's) .  The Sonny Bono act ensured that "Steamboat Willie" and thus "Mickey Mouse" would stay out of the Public domain for a long while longer.  (each country has its own rules BTW..)

Some early software folks actually did try to put stuff in the public domain.  (read the licence blocks on some of the programs in Volume 1 of Doctor Dobbs Journal of Tiny Basic)  But placing your software in that status means anyone can use it without payment, thanks nor acknowledgement. 

Both The BSD and GPL licences are *NOT* anything like the Public domain, although the BSD style licence does offer more chance for someone to bury the code in a closed source product.