GPLv3 starts with Zero defining the following contract terms:
“This License”
“Copyright”
“The Program”
“You”
“Licencees”
“Recipients”
“Modify”
“Modified Version”
“Based on”
“Covered work”
“Propagate”
“Convey”
“Appropriate Legal notice”
in the following way:
0. Definitions.
“This License” refers to version 3 of the GNU General Public License.
“Copyright” also means copyright-like laws that apply to other kinds of works, such as semiconductor masks.
“The Program” refers to any copyrightable work licensed under this License. Each licensee is addressed as “you”. “Licensees” and “recipients” may be individuals or organizations.
To “modify” a work means to copy from or adapt all or part of the work in a fashion requiring copyright permission, other than the making of an exact copy. The resulting work is called a “modified version” of the earlier work or a work “based on” the earlier work.
A “covered work” means either the unmodified Program or a work based on the Program.
To “propagate” a work means to do anything with it that, without permission, would make you directly or secondarily liable for infringement under applicable copyright law, except executing it on a computer or modifying a private copy. Propagation includes copying, distribution (with or without modification), making available to the public, and in some countries other activities as well.
To “convey” a work means any kind of propagation that enables other parties to make or receive copies. Mere interaction with a user through a computer network, with no transfer of a copy, is not conveying.
An interactive user interface displays “Appropriate Legal Notices” to the extent that it includes a convenient and prominently visible feature that (1) displays an appropriate copyright notice, and (2) tells the user that there is no warranty for the work (except to the extent that warranties are provided), that licensees may convey the work under this License, and how to view a copy of this License. If the interface presents a list of user commands or options, such as a menu, a prominent item in the list meets this criterion.
(Copyright holder of the license agreement itself is the Free Software Foundation, Inc. <http://fsf.org/> Everyone is permitted by the copyright holder, to copy and distribute verbatim copies of the copyright license document. Changing the copyright-agreement, is not allowed. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html.)
Text is modified and available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.
Felix Arndt “The GNU Free Documentation License (GNU FDL or simply GFDL)” 2015; https://mrimagma.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/the-gnu-free-documentation-license-gnu-fdl-or-simply-gfdl/
To share-alike and attribute please use the 2 preceding sentences. Feel free to copy & paste.
MRIMAGMA 
6 thoughts on “Definition GPLv3 section 0.”