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FSF Releases Third Draft of GPLv3

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the complaining-to-the-right-people dept.

johnsu01 writes "The Free Software Foundation has announced publication of the third discussion draft of the GNU General Public License Version 3. Because quite a few changes have been made since the previous draft and important new issues have surfaced, the drafting process has been extended and revised to encourage more feedback. The most significant changes in this draft include refinements in the "tivoization" provisions to eliminate unwanted side effects, revision of the patent provisions to prevent end-runs around the license, and further steps toward compatibility with other free software licenses. The FSF has also explicitly asked the community whether the new patent provisions should apply retroactively to the Microsoft-Novell deal."

3 of 390 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I thought it was out already?! by Seumas · · Score: 0, Troll

    You mean, make it right, the third time...?

  2. Re:Heads up their asses...RMS by aristotle-dude · · Score: 0, Troll

    RMS never understood what real freedom was all about in the first place. GNU Freedom is apparently freedom with a number of terms and conditions and is viral in nature. That my friend, is an oxymoron because freedom cannot have terms and conditions given that freedom is the lack of rules and regulations. I think hippies like RMS have confused "rights" with freedoms. The former is something that is granted by authority with or without limits whereas the latter springs out of a lack of regulation.

    --
    Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
  3. Ultimately, it's all the same. by Brett+Glass · · Score: 0, Troll

    The purpose of GPL3 is the same as that of earlier versions: to "get at" folks that Richard Stallman and the FSF do not like. Much of it is spiteful and is directed specifically against people who have been "too successful" -- that is, programmers who have been able to make money by writing and selling software. (Heaven forbid that anyone should be able to be successful in that way.) Alas, it will not affect Microsoft, which pretty much everyone admits will not be harmed by the GPL. It'll only affect little guys like us who otherwise might have a chance. It's ironic, but the FSF has effectively become an ally of Microsoft by going after its nascent competition. Sad.