On monday Free Software Foundation published the GNU Affero GPL v3, a modified version of the General Pubic License v3. Differently from the GPL, the Affero license is aimed at ensuring cooperation with the community in the case of network server software.
As a matter of fact the General Public License permits making a modified version and letting the public access it on a server without ever releasing its source code to the public. The Affero license instead add a requirement that if the software is used on a public server, users must be able to get the source code.
I want you! by Sunbound
I asked Fabrizio Capobianco, Funambol CEO - who formerly addressed the “GPL loophole” creating a new license - to comment the Affero version 3. I was late, he already posted on the subject, announcing Funambol’s decision to go with the AGPL.
Well done Fabrizio, great move! As a matter of fact you are the first. I am afraid you are not going to win your bet with Mark Radicliffe: AGPL is not going to become more popular than GPL in the next five years.
While I believe the AGPL is not going to be Google’s worst nightmare, and is not specifically designed for Web Services, I hope you consider taking actively part against the GPL loophole, now!
Related posts:
Closing open source loopholes
FSF releases license for network-distributed software
A new GPL for software as a service
FSF finalizes GPL-based license for Web services
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