What is copyleft?
Q: What is copyleft?
A: Copyleft is a type of license for free content or free software that uses copyright to forbid forbidding changing, giving, or selling something.
Q: How does it differ from copyright?
A: While copyright typically forbids changing, giving, or selling something, copyleft uses copyright to allow these activities.
Q: Can copyleft be used for documents such as books and music?
A: Yes, both copyleft and non-copyleft ("permissive") licenses can be used for documents like books and music. They always allow people to change the works and give or sell them to other people.
Q: Is copyleft the same as public domain?
A: No, although they are related in that they both involve licensing of content. Copyleft is a form of licensing while public domain means no one owns the rights to the work.
Q: What are some examples of popular copyleft licenses?
A: Popular examples include the GNU General Public License and Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license.
Q: Do I need permission from an author if I want to use their work under a copyleft license?
A: Yes, you would need permission from the author in order to use their work under a copyleft license.
