So, negotiations between Red Hat and Microsoft appear to be ongoing in the media. [...] So, let's see. How does this work? "I got it and you got it but *I* make money when you use it." Who wouldn't want that? Um... Red Hat. Why not, Microsoft beguiles. I'll tip you. And, by the way, I won't interoperate with you unless you agree.
Read more »I happen to appreciate GPL v3
"In a world that I feel is sorely lacking true visionaries when it comes to fighting injustice and inequality, I find it refreshing that Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation continue on their own course and promote software freedom in any way they can."
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Motorola and the FOSS that Wasn't
When Motorola decided to write an "open source" Service Availability Framework they, perhaps unknowingly, illustrated a disturbing trend in the FOSS (free and open source software) world. The new OpenSAF initiative is designed to "[u]tilize an open source licensing model not tied to any commercial implementation" and in doing so remove the need for vendors to implement their own proprietary infrastructure code. Naturally, Motorola describes their motivation to the trade press (Internet News, July 2007) as an example of their desire "to get people to move away from building proprietary platforms"
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Microsoft's Linux Deals: Tempest in a Teapot for Developers
Microsoft's relationship with the open source development community continued to evolve last month, with the company adding three suppliers of the Linux operating system to cross-licensing agreements. So, on balance, how will these patent pacts impact enterprise developers day-to-day?
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After Months of Wrangling, GPL v3 Unleashed
The Free Software Foundation on Friday released the third version of the GNU General Public License. The FSF says GPL v3 sets its sights on protecting users freedom to run, adapt, improve and redistribute free software. It also sets its sights on Tivoization -- the practice of trapping free software inside closed
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It’s finished. It’s done. GPLv3 that is
Why is this GNU smiling? Because with a political flourish the Free Software Foundation has released the final versions of both GPLv3 and LGPLv3. IBM has given its blessing but there is, as yet, no white smoke rising from Portland, where Linus Torvalds has expressed his preference for GPLv2.
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Don't get Swiftfox!
Swiftfox is nice and fast Firefox replacement, it is an optimized built of Firefox. Some of us are using it. But, everything can't be so good. Why we shouldn't "get Swiftfox"?
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Santa Cruz to DOJ in '96 & EU in '97: MS forces us to pay royalties forever for their old Xenix code
In praise of the GPLv3
There will be plenty of misinformation around the GPLv3 - and a lot of it spread by writers who see it as a threat to their own business. The reasoning runs thus: "More commercialisation of the FOSS industry will mean more advertising - and that means more profits for our businesses. Let's oppose anything that comes in the way.
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There They Go Again: It's Time to Just Say No to Microsoft and Ecma
"Should ISO/IEC JTC1 approve OOXML, and if so, why not? This morning's news provides the best evidence for why the answer should be "no.""
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Sun keeps OpenSoalris CDDL, not GPLv3 (for now)
Sun has so far elected not to use the GPLv3 for OpenSolaris, despite hinting previously that this was under consideration. They argue that CDDL is a polished version of a pouplar license family, and thus needs no replacement.
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GPLv3 license marks GNU's decline
I've no doubt that this is the beginning of the end for GNU, and it will prove the strength of the larger free software world. The Free Software Foundation has dumped a load of restrictions on us with GPLv3 and told us that restrictions lead to freedom and that it is good for us. That's a little too Bush administration-like for me.
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Is The New GPL a Target?
Does anyone else wonder why Microsoft was in such an awful hurry to line up partnership deals with Linux vendors before the final release of GPL 3? They surely must have known that the patent promise aspect of these deals were going to be rendered moot if Linux were licensed under GPL 3.
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Free Software's Anti-Steve
We now know what happens when big hairy software coders work with big hairy lawyers. The result, understandably, is anything but slick. Meet GPLv3, the free software movement's latest legal tool to keep their code from being fenced in.
---Read on an empty stomach
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Stallman Urges Users to Upgrade to GPLv3
Stallman added that it's extremely important for Free Software users to upgrade their licenses to GPLv3 so that Novell will eventually put in the new version and the community will get this benefit.
Stallman advised viewers to be wary of those that advise against moving to GPLv3.
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