[Sussex] So... GPL v3, eh?

[Karl E. Jorgensen]

On Tue, Jul 10, 2007 at 10:47:30AM +0100, Dominic Humphries wrote:
> The new version of the GPL was finally released at the end of last 
> month. Steve & myself both seem to have been arguing with Groklaw about 
> it & its ramifications recently (yesterday and today, anyway), which 
> made me realize that I hadn't seen any discussion of the new GPL here on 
> SLUG.
> 
> So I thought I'd start one :o)

Well - why not?
 
> Has anyone read it? Do you like it? Dislike it? Feel a bit ambivalent? 

ehrm... yes, yes, no, no 

> Are you worried that Linux will be staying at version 2, 

The linux kernel is GPLv2 only (i.e. without the "or later version" 
clause), so I think it will probably stay at version 2 for the 
foreseeable future.  Changing it requires the OK of all of the 
contributors, and I simply do not see that happening - the necessary 
motivation isn't there.  It will probably only change to v3 once the 
kernel is threatened in some way:
- Patent lawsuits (unlikely. And any litigant has to do a lot better 
  than SCO before anybody will even think about being bothered...)
- Patent reform (in a bad way)
- Tivo does something to *really* p*** off the kernel maintainers

Besides, Torvalds isn't too keen on GPLv3. But then again, he's not 
really into the "free software" thing - he's much more of a pragmatist.

> or disappointed to hear that Samba is getting ready to go version 3 
>only?  

Samba going to GPLv3 is good news IMHO. They are probably the ones most 
affected by Microsoft's Patent FUD, so it makes sense.

> Or do you not really care at all so long as the next version of Ubuntu 
>isn't delayed by all the fuss?

Don't care - "Use Debian", remember? :-)

> "Inquiring minds want to know!"

minds? In plural? It makes me (or us?) wonder...


-- 
Karl E. Jorgensen
karl at jorgensen.org.uk  http://www.jorgensen.org.uk/
karl at jorgensen.com     http://karl.jorgensen.com
==== Today's fortune:
The only perfect science is hind-sight.
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