Open Sources | Rodrigues & Urlocker » Linus Torvalds likes Draft 3 of GPLv3 much better (CNET)

March 28, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Linus Torvalds likes Draft 3 of GPLv3 much better (CNET)

TAGS: Open Source

Let's face it: Linus' opinion of GPLv3 matters a heck of a lot more than yours or mine, and Stephen Shankland was able to get his read on this latest draft. Said Linus:

"I'm actually pretty pleased. Not because I think it's perfect, but simply because I think it's certainly a lot better than I really expected from the previous drafts," he said. "Whether it's actually a better license than the GPLv2, I'm still a bit skeptical, but at least it's now 'I'm skeptical' rather than 'Hell no!'"

In particular, one provision against digital rights management has been narrowed, and another that Torvalds feared could lead to multiple incompatible versions of the GPL has been removed or defanged.

"I'm much happier with many parts of it. I think much of it reads better, and some of the worst horrors have been removed entirely," Torvalds said.

I agree (again, not that it matters). I liked the previous version fine, but it was much more complex. Draft 3 is cleaner and easier to follow.

Posted by Matt Asay on March 28, 2007 12:45 PM

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