Open Source Licenses: AGPL is OSI approved now, thank you Fabrizio!

Last November the Free Software Foundation published the GNU Affero GPL v3 (AGPL), a modified version of the GPL v3 aimed at ensuring cooperation with the community in the case of network server software addressing the SaaS issue. At the end of January Fabrizio Capobianco of the Funambol fame decided to submit the AGPL to OSI for approval.

On the 13th of March OSI approved the AGPL, sweet victory for Fabrizio, I am sorry for Chris Di Bona, who previously successfully submitted the GPLv3 for approval, but from now on developers can happily close the “GPL Loophole” blessed by the Open Source Initiative.

I hope at least Benjamin Mako Hill, who is sitting in the FSF board, might help to spread the word among developers, following his own words:

I’m going to push the FSF to help start several conversation and to begin to follow up on what I think was an important first step with the AGPLv3. While this is not a major organizational priority yet, it’s a major action item that I will beg pursuing through the FSF. If you feel strongly about this issue, whatever your position, become a member, stay involved as these projects develop, and have your voice be heard. We don’t know the answers yet and we need your input as much as we need your action.

If you are a developer and you can’t stand the GPL loophole consider contact Mako and FSF, to turn AGPLv3 into a FSF’s priority.

In the meanwhile firms like Wavemaker, a company developing an open-source framework for visual AJAX web development, are now using AGPL, and while I keep thinking SugarCRM won’t adopt the AGPL, maybe others will follow.

Your guess?

Technorati Tags: OSI, open source licenses, AGPL, Affero GPL, Wavemaker, Funambol, FabrizioCapobianco, SugarCRM