First off, i dont even know what the gplv3 will look like. May 24, 2017 a lot of the tools we use are licensed with an apache 2. The second version of the license, version 2, was released in 1991. A quick guide to gplv3 gnu project free software foundation. The gnu general public license gpl is a free, copyleft license used primarily for software.
The choice of licence comes down to personal preference, and both approaches can have good or bad. The most widespread use of gpl is in reference to the gnu gpl, which is commonly abbreviated simply as gpl when it is understood that the term refers. I can include mitlicensed code in a gpllicensed product, but can i include gpllicensed code in a mitlicensed product. Can you comment on why you oppose moving the linux kernel from gpl 2. Gnu general public license, version 2 spdx short identifier. Secondary license means either the gnu general public license, version 2. The granting clause and intellectual property rights. See the gnu general public license for more details. The latest version of the gpl, version 3 what to do if you see a possible gpl violation. If you have licensed software youve written under gpl version 2, and you are.
Oct 27, 2016 here is what the institute for legal questions on free and open source software says about gplv2 and gplv3 emphasis added. This page contains answers to commonly asked questions about the gnu general public license gpl, version 2. Nov 08, 2015 software licensing gpl agpl bsd mit apache eula kris occhipinti. The free software foundation considers the apache license, version 2. Micro focus acknowledges the redistribution of the following open source components that are provided under this license and any other licenses identified in the service portal open source and third party licenses table. The source code we develop at is default being licensed as gnu gpl version 2 or later. That is why there is the lgpl or lesser gnu public license. Handbrake handbrake is an opensource, gpl licensed, multiplatform, multithreaded video transcoder, available. However, rampant violations of the gpl required more immediate attention of fsfs licensing staff, and as such, much of the early 2000s was spent doing gpl enforcement. We, the free software foundation, use the gnu general public license for most of our software. The mere fact that a piece of userspace software makes system calls to the gpl licensed kernel does not impose gpl requirements on that software. Hardware with gpl firmware open source stack exchange. The mere fact that a piece of userspace software makes system calls to the gpllicensed kernel does not impose gpl requirements on that software.
You can distribute your application using a gpl library. The free software foundation recommends taking the additional step of adding a boilerplate notice to the top of each file. It is ed by wolfgang denk and many others who contributed code see the actual source code and the git commit messages for details. You may copy and distribute verbatim copies of the programs source code as you receive it, in any. The apache software foundation and the free software foundation agree that the apache license 2. Jun 29, 2007 by contrast, the gnu general public license is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change all versions of a programto make sure it remains free software for all its users. Jul 24, 2018 in the absence of distribution, a user is merely using the software, and since the act of running the gpl code is not subject to the license, one does not have to share their modifications to the code. Some modules we make are using more permissive licenses, though, for example, the blender cycles rendering engine is available as apache 2. Source code form means the form of the work preferred for making modifications.
In doing so, we have found that most violations stem from a few common mistakes that can be, for the most part, easily avoided. I would be totally crazy to accept a license for my code sight unseen. The linux kernel is provided under the terms of the gnu general public license version 2 only gpl 2. The gnu gpl allows users to change and share all versions of a program. Thus, users are explicitly given the freedom to run by gplv2 0. The free software foundation may publish revised andor new versions of the gnu lesser general public license from time to time. The boilerplate can be found at the end of the license. Lots of great free software is available under this license, with strong communities surrounding it. Short for general public license, the license that accompanies some open source software that details how the software and its accompany source code can be freely copied, distributed and modified. The gnu general public license gnu gpl or gpl is a series of widely used free software. You should have received a copy of the gnu general public license along with this program. Gpl is provided through the free software foundation, a nonprofit corporation that works to provide free software for the gnu project. The android open source project aosp uses a few open source initiative approved open source licenses for our software.
A practical guide to gpl compliance software freedom law. The granting clause and intellectual property rights management in opensource software licensing. Gnu affero general public license gnu project free. By contrast, the gnu general public license is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change free software to make sure the software is free for all its. To avoid compatibility issues it is easiest for us to use the same license. The gpl family of licenses is unique among open source licenses in how past, current, and future versions of the license may apply to the software program. This general public license applies to most of the free software. Richard stallman created the gpl to protect the gnu software from. The faq for the current version of the gpl is here. Jun 15, 2012 relationships between the gpl licences and other software are carefully explained in the gpl faq. Software licensing gpl agpl bsd mit apache eula youtube.
In addition to clarifying the rules about licenses that are already gplcompatible, gplv3 is also newly compatible with a few other licenses. Preamble the licenses for most software are designed to take away. I detailed analysis of the gnu gpl and related licenses. The group open source initiative osi defines and maintains a list of approved opensource licenses. Nov 10, 2005 the gnu general public license v2 gpl v2 for short is the most commonly used open source licence. For thirdparty software that you receive from oracle in binary form which is. And if they manage to grant the classpath exception without specifying a version, you get.
You pick an arbitrary point in that programs operation and break the program into two programs. Osi agrees with fsf on all widely used freesoftware licenses, but differ from fsfs list, as it approves. By not fully understanding this unique license feature, open source software developers may inadvertently create ambiguity. Gpl is the acronym for gnus general public license, and its one of the most popular open source licenses. According to the chart it would appear that the popularity of open source licensing has subsequently shifted to the mit and apache licenses. Gnu general public license, version 3 spdx short identifier. You may copy, distribute and modify the software as long as you track changesdates of in source files and keep modifications under gpl. All packages produced by the asf are implicitly licensed under the apache license, version 2. This concerns in particular code under apache license v. The gnu affero general public license is a free, copyleft license for software and other kinds of works, specifically designed to ensure cooperation with the community in the case of network server. It is a specific implementation of his copyleft concept. This licensing incompatibility applies only when some apache project software becomes a derivative work of some gplv3 software, because then the apache. The licenses for most software are designed to take away your freedom to share and change it. However, most libraries are intended to be reused and the gpl license doesnt make sense.
The gpl, lgpl, and mozilla licenses the licenses described in this chapter are very different from those described in chapter 2. Linux kernel licensing rules the linux kernel documentation. Handbrake handbrake is an opensource, gpllicensed, multiplatform, multithreaded video transcoder, available. Richard stallman created the gpl to protect the gnu software from being made proprietary. The long and short of itif you use open source software within your software development project, any permissive license should be fine. Difference between different types of open sources licenses. The software freedom law center provides practical advice for developers about including permissively licensed source. Aug 26, 2008 sflc continues to conduct gpl enforcement and compliance efforts for many of its clients who release their software under the gpl, the gnu lesser public license lgpl and other copyleft licenses. Gnu general public license version 2 open source initiative. The gpl is viral in nature so if you use or extend gpl ed software then you are required to gpl your derived work.
Revised versions of the gnu lesser general public license. When a person or company wants to use a project licensed underfor examplegpl v3, apache 2. If you include your own kernel modules which is a very different case from ordinary userspace code, however, those likely are a modification of the kernel and need to be included in the gplv3 work. If youre a software developer, you probably use open source components and. Open source license compatibility gplv3 and apache 2. The apache license is a free and open source software foss licensing agreement from the apache software foundation asf. These licenses impose substantial limitations on selection from. Primary focus is on gnu general public license, version 2 gplv2, gnu general public license, version 3 gplv3, the berkeley software distribution, 3clause license bsd license, mozilla public license version 1.
Frequently asked questions about the gnu licenses gnu project. The two programs communicate over a totally superfluous network hop. The software freedom law center provides practical advice for. Apache 2 software can therefore be included in gplv3 projects, because the gplv3. The licenses were originally written by richard stallman, former head of the free software foundation fsf, for the gnu project, and grant the recipients of a. Why should i use the gnu gpl rather than other free software licenses. You may modify your copy or copies of the program or any portion of it. Apr 07, 2017 differences in distribution, linking, modification, private use of open source licenses like mit, gnu gpl, apache 2. This document attempts to draw together the main features of the gnu general public license v2 into a friendly and comprehensible digest and, in addition, to. A practical guide to gpl compliance software freedom law center.
If you include your own kernel modules which is a very. In reading it, it is clear that usage of the gpl 2. To learn more about the free software foundations other licenses, please see our licenses page. What is the difference between gnu gpl 2 and 3 licenses. While the project strives to adhere to the preferred license, there are. The gnu general public license gnu gpl or gpl is a series of widely used free software licenses that guarantee end users the freedom to run, study, share, and modify the software. Approximately 70% of the projects in the software repository sourceforge use the gpl v2. Top 10 gnu gpl license questions answered whitesource.
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