A new version of the GPL is coming Real Soon Now
* Minor updates throughout
* Anti-DMCA clause
* Clarified patent license grant
* Source code must be available to users who use the software over a network
* Prototype: Affero license (http://www.affero.org/oagpl.html)
As far as I know, they're still accurate. The only thing that should perhaps be added is "addresses Trusted Computing." GPLv3 will be released for review when it's done, and no sooner. I can't give you a firm date on that. Real Soon Now is tongue-in-cheek: FSF sometimes moves more slowly than people would like, but it's because we try to do things right. As you may have noticed, our hastiness on the Apache license led to unnecessary anger on many sides. We don't want that to happen in the future.
Of course. But isn't it strange that the developers who use the GPL as their legal base are not allowed to take part in this discussion? I've hear that the Linux kernel is licensed under GPL2 ONLY which means that they can't "upgrade" to GPL3 even if they want this later (you know why).
I don't know about you, but "I Am Not A Lawyer" (IANAL), so using the only publicly available information at this time and my programming habits, I put together a "diff" between GPL2 and AGPL, accounting only for the relevant information (not for name difference). Here it is below. Note that the "How To Apply These Terms to Your New Programs" section has been removed - great! On the other hand, the new anti-DMCA and anti-Trusted Computing clauses and the other updates will surely compensate this somewhat. So its size will probably stay roughly the same...
Lucho
diff -u gpl.txt agpl.txt --- gpl.txt +++ agpl.txt @@ -1,8 +1,13 @@ -GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE -Version 2, June 1991 +AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE +Version 1, March 2002
-Copyright (C) 1989, 1991 Free Software Foundation, Inc. 59 Temple Place, -Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA +Copyright © 2002 Affero Inc. +510 Third Street - Suite 225, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA + +This license is a modified version of the GNU General Public License +copyright (C) 1989, 1991 Free Software Foundation, Inc. made with their +permission. Section 2(d) has been added to cover use of software over a +computer network.
Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. @@ -108,6 +113,16 @@ interactive but does not normally print such an announcement, your work based on the Program is not required to print an announcement.)
+d) If the Program as you received it is intended to interact with users +through a computer network and if, in the version you received, any user +interacting with the Program was given the opportunity to request +transmission to that user of the Program's complete source code, you +must not remove that facility from your modified version of the Program +or work based on the Program, and must offer an equivalent opportunity +for all users interacting with your Program through a computer network +to request immediate transmission by HTTP of the complete source code of +your modified version or other derivative work. + These requirements apply to the modified work as a whole. If identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the Program, and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in @@ -242,6 +257,12 @@ number of this License, you may choose any version ever published by the Free Software Foundation.
+You may also choose to redistribute modified versions of this program +under any version of the Free Software Foundation's GNU General Public +License version 3 or higher, so long as that version of the GNU GPL +includes terms and conditions substantially equivalent to those of this +license. + 10. If you wish to incorporate parts of the Program into other free programs whose distribution conditions are different, write to the author to ask for permission. For software which is copyrighted by the @@ -271,66 +292,3 @@ INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAM TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. - -END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS - -How to Apply These Terms to Your New Programs - -If you develop a new program, and you want it to be of the greatest -possible use to the public, the best way to achieve this is to make it -free software which everyone can redistribute and change under these -terms. - -To do so, attach the following notices to the program. It is safest to -attach them to the start of each source file to most effectively convey -the exclusion of warranty; and each file should have at least the -"copyright" line and a pointer to where the full notice is found. - -<one line to give the program's name and a brief idea of what it does.> -Copyright (C) <year> <name of author> - -This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it -under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the -Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your -option) any later version. - -This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but -WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of -MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU -General Public License for more details. - -You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along -with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., -59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA - -Also add information on how to contact you by electronic and paper mail. - -If the program is interactive, make it output a short notice like this -when it starts in an interactive mode: - -Gnomovision version 69, Copyright (C) year name of author -Gnomovision comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details type `show w'. -This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it under -certain conditions; type `show c' for details. - -The hypothetical commands `show w' and `show c' should show the -appropriate parts of the General Public License. Of course, the -commands you use may be called something other than `show w' and `show -c'; they could even be mouse-clicks or menu items--whatever suits your -program. - -You should also get your employer (if you work as a programmer) or your -school, if any, to sign a "copyright disclaimer" for the program, if -necessary. Here is a sample; alter the names: - -Yoyodyne, Inc., hereby disclaims all copyright interest in the program -`Gnomovision' (which makes passes at compilers) written by James Hacker. - -<signature of Ty Coon>, 1 April 1989 -Ty Coon, President of Vice - -This General Public License does not permit incorporating your program -into proprietary programs. If your program is a subroutine library, you -may consider it more useful to permit linking proprietary applications -with the library. If this is what you want to do, use the GNU Library -General Public License instead of this License.
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