GPL 3: What is the fuss all about? [LWN.net]

GPL 3: What is the fuss all about?

Posted Jan 27, 2007 0:04 UTC (Sat) by drag (subscriber, #31333)
In reply to: GPL 3: What is the fuss all about? by vonbrand
Parent article: GPL 3: An Open-Source Earthquake? (CRN)

Well.. the 'Anti-DRM' clause isn't designed to prevent the use of DRM or discourage it.

Just like the clause stating that you have to distribute source code if your redistribute GPL'd software is not designed to try to make other people (say microsoft) open source their programs.

It's designed to protect the '4 freedoms'. It is essentially a way to attempt to enforce the idea that you can't make GPL software non-Free (by FSF/GNU's definition). Either refusal to release code or using encryption to enforce specific software versions the effect on end users is the same.

In all actuality if somebody (Sun has a project to do just this) releases open source software that is able to succcessfully impliment DRM, even if you try to modify the code, then you could license that under the GPLv3.

Also if you would like to use GPLv3 software to play back DRM content or control hardware that impliments DRM, then that is fine also.

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