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by air 4225 days ago
As an end user:

I can combine GPLv2 (eg. linux kernel) and BSD licensed code, and distribute it.

I can combine GPLv3 and BSD licensed code, and distribute it.

I cannot combine GPLv2 and GPLv3 licensed code, and distribute it.

As an end user, I like BSD licensed code more.

1 comments

Except the BSD licensed code may not be available for you to distribute or play with; that's the crux of the issue.
That's true of GPL code too... If my project is GPLv2, then GPLv3 code is not available to distribute or play with.

Personally I'm happy for people to use and modify the code I've given away, even if they don't choose to give back their changes.

We're talking about 2 different issues. If your project is GPL anyone using it could/should be able to get the source. With a BSD project that is not necessarily true.
In theory you could see it, but you couldn't think about it or use it -- you need to follow clean room rules.

It's two sides of the same issue: either way, the code is not available to you.

We're still not talking about the same thing. I'm talking about the project you're using and need source for. You're talking about using other projects in another.
We're not? It sounds like we are... If the project that you're using and need source for is GPLv2, and the code you want to use is GPLv3, then you cannot use it (and it might not be good idea to even look at it -- depends on how litigious that other project is)