[nzlug] Thought this might be of interest:

[Michael Adams]

On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:53:32 +1200
Nevyn wrote:

> I just found a rather long email thread about the GPL and it's
> relation to Linux.
> 
> Namely why Linus and others object to the GPL v3 and will most likely
> stick to the GPL v2.
> 
> http://kerneltrap.org/node/8382
> 
> To paraphrase:
> It seems that Linus objects to the GPL being enforced on hardware
> (Read: Tivoism). I.e. the GPL only covers software and so Tivo were
> completely within their rights when they used the Linux source code
> but locked the hardware so that users couldn't run modified code on
> their hardware. The software is still free, the hardware isn't.
> 
> The FSF's seems to be that Tivo, while maintaining the right to modify
> the software in the hardware themselves, did not comply with the GPL
> when they restricted the users ability to do the same.
> 

FSF seem to think that as uptake of GPL3 begins, Linus Et Al will be
forced to adopt it for the kernel. One piece of GPL3 code cannot be used
in a GPL2 project and vice versa by GPL3 rules. With multiple writers of
the kernel providing code on fractured licences, and GCC being FSF
written hence likely to be GPL3 quite quickly, they feel it would just
be a matter of time.


-- 
Michael
Linux: The OS people choose without $200,000,000 of persuasion.