The gnu affero general public license is based on the gnu gpl, but has an additional term to allow users who interact with the licensed software over a network to receive the source for that program. Gnu general public license, version 3 spdx short identifier. This is in contrast to permissive licenses like bsd, which impose minimal restrictions on the redistribution of covered software. Propietary modules within gpl and bsd kernels closed ask question asked 9 years. The gnulgpl is very popular among independent developers and companies which mainly deals with open source software.
Evaluation, open source projects, hobby, teaching, learning, business where gpl3. A practical guide to gpl compliance software freedom law. We recommend that people consider using the gnu agpl for any. Asf contributor agreements the apache software foundation. The apache license is a permissive free software license written by the apache software foundation asf. Open source license compatibility gplv3 and apache 2. Licenze varie e commenti relativi progetto gnu free.
Heres the second post in our open source software license faq series. I would expect that the gpl license will force any developer to release under gpl driver andor kernel module. The gnu gpl is a software license agreement, under which parts of the android operating system are licensed. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. The gpl ensures that granted freedoms are preserved whenever the work is distributed, even when the work is changed or added to. By contrast, the gnu general public license is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change all versions of a programto.
This would be incompatible with asfs requirement that all apache software must be distributed under the apache license 2. These agreements help us achieve our goal of providing reliable and longlived software products through collaborative open source software development. All software produced by the apache software foundation or any of its projects or subjects is licensed according to the terms of the documents listed below. The gpl is by far the best software license for endusers of the code. Some of the licenses can be applied only to s and not patents. The free software foundation may publish revised andor new versions of the general public license from time to time. Please consider continue reading basic difference between the gpl and the public domain. As you can see rights and obligations under apache 2. May i reuse and modify the asf contributor license agreements clas for my own purposes. Apache is decent model when you have expertise and money, but do not have significant market share yet. Gpl, also known as copyleft, grants permission to reuse or modify the source code to make derivative works, but if you distribute your program to others, it requires you to license your derivative work under the gpl too. Tweet share post druid, an open source database designed for realtime analysis, is moving to the apache 2 software license in order to hopefully spur more use of and innovation around the project.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are. The software freedom law center provides practical advice for developers about including permissively licensed source. How should i apply the apache license to my own software. It is hard to keep the site running and producing new content when so many people block ads. Stallman devised an alternative to the commercial software license and called it the gpl, or gnu public license. Tldrlegal provides generally good summaries of licenses. Adblock detected my website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to my visitors. If youre using the older one, you may wish to relicense your software under the newer one. In the early days of the gplv3 revision process, compatibility with the apache license 2.
In this article, we take a look at the difference between this two licenses to find out why. Gnu general public license, version 2 spdx short identifier. In such case, this license incorporates the limitation as if written in the body of this license. If you have licensed software youve written under gpl version 2, and you are the original licensor of that software, you may. Its a popular and widely deployed license backed by a. The licenses were originally written by richard stallman, former head of the free software foundation fsf, for the gnu project, and grant the recipients of a computer program the rights of the free software. By contrast, the gnu general public license is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change free softwareto make sure the software is free for all its users.
The most widespread use of gpl is in reference to the gnu gpl, which is commonly abbreviated simply as gpl when it is understood that the term refers. At the 5th gplv3 conference, richard stallman was recorded saying. Mit license spot the differences due to the helpful visualizations at a glance category. What is the difference between gpl, agpl and lgpl licenses. A permissive license whose main conditions require preservation of and license notices. Despite our best efforts, the fsf has never considered the apache license to be compatible with gpl version 2, citing the patent termination and indemnification. Gnu lesser gpl and apache software licenses denver. As a reminder, open source software licenses generally allows users to make use of, change, and share the software with. You can freely use, modify, distribute and sell a software licensed under the apache license without worrying about the use of software. This would be compatible with gplv2 but still retain the lax permissive noncopyleft free software of the apache 2. Ads are annoying but they help keep this website running. The druid realtime database moves to an apache license.
The microsoft windows xp professional end user license agreement the eula hereafter was selected as representative of the currentgeneration license provided by microsoft for businessgrade systems. The asf and its projects release their software products under the apache license. Difference between different types of open sources licenses. The gplv3 user terms are not met when using the apache 2. Zach is a bay area native and is raising three boys in san francisco with his wife dr. This license is considered to be the mostcommercially favorable of all the opensource licenses. This license is administered bythe apache software foundationand you can find their site at. It allows users to use the software for any purpose, to distribute it, to modify it, and to distribute modified versions of the software under the terms of the license, without concern for royalties. Contributors provide an express grant of patent rights. Short for general public license, the license that accompanies some open source software that details how the software and its accompany source code can be freely copied, distributed and modified.
Apache 2 software can therefore be included in gplv3 projects, because the gplv3 license accepts our software into gplv3 works. The gnu general public license gnu gpl or gpl is a series of widely used free software licenses that guarantee end users the freedom to run, study, share, and modify the software. The orginal software and related information is available at. The apache license says do whatever you want with this, just dont sue me but does so with many more words, which lawyers like because it adds specificity.
The real story is that hard work has been done to make the gpl3 compatible with the apache license 2 or apl v2, asf is the apache software foundation and not a license. The apache software foundation asf, clearly say that forking some apache licensed code into your gpl project is illegal because then the apache software would have to be distributed under gplv3. Compatible, ie that gpl3 software can link too apl software, is new gpl2 code wasnt able to. The software included in this product contains ed software that is licensed under the gpl. Asf apache software foundation doesnt like the idea of asfv2 code being any part of a system that uses gplv2, based on the limited information of your case and my understanding of the various foss licenses.
The general public license has long been the preferred license for opensource businesses, but new analysis suggests that apachestyle licensing may yield more adoption and money. The free software foundation considers the apache license, version 2. The apache software foundation uses various agreements to accept regular contributions from individuals and corporations, and to accept larger grants of existing software products. Why you should use a bsd style license for your open.
Licensed works, modifications, and larger works may be distributed under different terms and without source code. Apache openoffice formerly known as is an opensource office productivity software suite containing word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, graphics, formula editor, and database management applications. Subject to the terms and conditions of this license, each contributor hereby grants to you a perpetual, worldwide, nonexclusive, nocharge, royaltyfree, irrevocable except as stated in this section patent license to make, have made, use, offer to sell, sell, import, and otherwise transfer the work, where such license applies only to those. The licenses for most software and other practical works are designed to take away your freedom to share and change the works. It was open sourced in late 2012 under the gpl license, which is generally considered more restrictive than the apache license in terms of how software can be reused. Java compilation software for jsp pages is provided by eclipse, which is open source software. Apache licensing and distribution faq apache software. Leave your current publicdistribution of fpdi under apache 2.
Voiceover the final license that will be coveredin detail is the apache license, which is now at version 2. Gpl version 3 is designed to be compatible with two important licenses. Such new versions will be similar in spirit to the present version, but may differ in detail to address new problems or concerns. Linus torvalds says gpl v3 violates everything that gplv2 stood for duration. The licenses are incompatible in one direction only, and it is a result of asfs licensing. If the code was licensed under the gpl, any derivative work must be also under the gpl and cannot, without the holders permission, be used under the apace license. The apache software foundation page on gpl compatibility says that neither gplv2 nor gplv3 can be incorporated into an apache 2 project it doesnt directly make a statement about gplv1. This general public license applies to most of the free software foundations software and to. Weve compiled a list of your top 10 questions about the gpl license in the last post. So if the code was licensed under the apache license, you can use it in a gpl licensed application. However, gplv3 software cannot be included in apache projects.
Basic difference between the gpl and the public domain. The gnu general public license is a free, copyleft open source license for software and other kinds of works. The apache license, on the other hand, is favored by the big corporations for their open source projects. It also contains a patent license and retaliation clause which is designed to prevent patents including patent trolls from encumbering the software project. Software licensing gpl agpl bsd mit apache eula youtube. Le versioni precedenti della sgi free software license b non erano, nonostante il nome, licenze di software libero. As managing partner, zach focuses on leading the organizations strategy, partnership development, and continuous improvement. Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the license is distributed on an as is basis, without warranties or. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. This product includes software developed by the apache software foundation licensed under the apache license version 2. This license, commonly known as the gpl, has two versions that are actively and widely used in many open source communities. The gnu general public license the gpl hereafter has been selected as the most commonlyused freeopen source software foss license. The majority of android is licensed under the apache. Why corporations favors the apache license over the gpllgpl.
With the new license being gplincompatible just like the older apache licenses were, it is not possible to. A copy of that license is included in this document on page x. Top 10 apache license questions answered whitesource. Nonsoftware enterprises like banks or states and folk like your dad benefit a lot from gpl license. Licensed under the apache software license, version 2. He also started a nonprofit foundation, the free software foundation fsf, which intended to develop an entire operating system, including all associated software, that would not be subject to proprietary licensing.
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