LGPL Version Exclusivity (Was: Releasing software under both LGPL 2.1 & 3 - A good idea?)

[Christopher Browne]

On Thu, Nov 6, 2008 at 11:00 AM, Scott Elcomb <psema4-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 2:30 PM, Scott Elcomb <psema4-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> [...]
>> In order to get around this I'm thinking to excerise the "at your
>> option any later version" bit and release under the LGPL 2.1 then a v3
>> version immediately following (as part of the build process).
>
> In following up with licensing-at-gnu.org, I received this reply:
>
>  The "later version" option doesn't mean that the software is licensed
>  under both LGPLv2.1 and LGPLv3. It means that the software is licensed
>  under LGPLv2.1 *or* LGPLv3 (with an exclusive "or"), and it is the
>  option of the distributor to choose which one.
>
> I've responded by saying that I'm still thinking on the matter and
> that I'd be in touch in a few days.
>
> I can't quite put my finger on it, but this just strikes me as wrong.
> (I can release under the LGPLv2.1, but if I want an LGPLv3 version out
> there someone else has to do it?)
>
> Just curious if anyone has any thoughts on this.

Isn't it the case that if *you* are distributing the software, then
that implies that you are the distributor, and therefore have the
option (that they describe) to distribute under v2.1 or v3, as *your*
choice?

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