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View Full Version : RMS essay on why one should upgrade to GPL3



BoyOfDestiny
June 1st, 2007, 05:34 AM
http://gplv3.fsf.org/rms-why.html

"First of all, it is important to note that upgrading is a choice. GPL version 2 will remain a valid license, and no disaster will happen if some programs remain under GPLv2 while others advance to GPLv3. These two licenses are incompatible, but that isn't a serious problem."

Anyway, I do agree. Although with Free Software I'm 99% of the time an end user. So I'm glad to be able to share the software and download it for free. I've benefited from being able to modify code (occasionally a developer will say here is a bugfix, it'll be in the next version, add this line to this file... and I can go ahead and apply that and compile)

I like what I've read here, ultimately it's up to the devs if they want to switch, as it's their code. I hope the end result is the simplicity of the gplv2, coupled with developers and the companies that fund many are happy with it, and assurance that the four freedoms are preserved for end users and devs (some of which are the same I'm sure)

Bachstelze
June 1st, 2007, 05:39 AM
I didn't like the GPL v2, mostly because of it's "viral" nature. I like the v3 even less. All the code I've written in my life has always been BSD-licensed only.

BoyOfDestiny
June 1st, 2007, 05:44 AM
I didn't like the GPL v2, mostly because of it's "viral" nature. I like the v3 even less. All the code I've written in my life has always been BSD-licensed only.

You're the dev, you should get to the pick license.

I personally would be upset if some company could take any code I've contributed and close it off, distribute it, without returning changes. As such I'd pick the GPL (I have a program I wrote when several years back for a staff scheduling software before I became too frustrated with coding... I will likely release the code under GPLv3)

Also, care to clarify why you like the GPLv3 less?
This site below has links which list the changes with explanations.
http://gplv3.fsf.org/gpl3-dd4-guide.html

As for copyleft being called "viral", I'd recommend this wikipedia entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyleft#Is_copyleft_.22viral.22.3F

Not that I think it'll change minds, but provides some background on the term.