Dr. Nagarjuna G. wrote:
It is not clear how the freedoms 0 to 3 will be curtailed by the GPLv3. If you have seen some modifications that do s, it will be useful to raise an alert. Can you explicate the words, or cluases that curtail the four freedoms?
Freedom 0, "the freedom to run the program, for any purpose", seems to be twisted out of shape by the draft GPLv3.
GPLv2 says: "The act of running the Program is not restricted, and the output from the Program is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on the Program (independent of having been made by running the Program)."
GPLv3 draft rewrites: "This License permits you to make and run privately modified versions of the Program, or have others make and run them on your behalf."
The attempt to maintain distinction between "private" and "public" use of the program licensed is not easy and anyway only discriminatory. Is it that non-internet users can use free software for any purpose, but internet users who connect to the world wide web, have to loose that freedom?
Freedom 2 can easily be wiped out with additional terms that allow trademark conditions which would prevent simple redistributions to even friends and neighbours. The trademark claims made by ssh trademark owner upon openssh developers is a good lesson not to give room for needless and self-defeating disputes within the free software community.
Contributions could go up in flames or be appropriated by trademark owners with such additional terms.
There has been little or no debate on such issues - I do hope this invites opinions on the future shape of the GPL.
-Ramanraj K