Kuhn: A Comprehensive Analysis of the GPL Issues With the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Business Model [LWN.net]

Kuhn: A Comprehensive Analysis of the GPL Issues With the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Business Model

Posted Jun 24, 2023 18:21 UTC (Sat) by fw (subscriber, #26023)
In reply to: Kuhn: A Comprehensive Analysis of the GPL Issues With the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Business Model by geofft
Parent article: Kuhn: A Comprehensive Analysis of the GPL Issues With the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Business Model

I think it was a mistake to make the requirement by default, rather than activating it only if the software already has this mechanism. This is how the GPL handles a notice requirement:

d) If the work has interactive user interfaces, each must display Appropriate Legal Notices; however, if the Program has interactive interfaces that do not display Appropriate Legal Notices, your work need not make them do so.

It means that the developer can only exercise this additional restriction after spelling out how, exactly, compliance should look like. This would not eliminate all problems with the AGPL, but it's a big step.