Red Hat, Facebook, Google and IBM commit to providing a fair cure period to correct license compliance issues for GPLv2 software
Red Hat, Inc. RHT, Facebook, Inc. FB, Google GOOGL and IBM IBM today announced efforts to promote additional predictability in open source licensing, by committing to extend additional rights to cure open source license compliance errors and mistakes.
The GNU General Public License (GPL) and GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) are among the most widely-used open source software licenses, covering, among other software, critical parts of the Linux ecosystem. When GPL version 3 (GPLv3) was released, it introduced an express termination approach that offered users opportunities to cure errors in license compliance. This termination policy in GPLv3 provided a more reasonable approach to errors and mistakes, which are often inadvertent. This approach allows for enforcement of license compliance that is consistent with community norms.
To provide greater predictability to users of open source software, Red Hat, Facebook, Google and IBM today each committed to extending the GPLv3 approach for license compliance errors to the software code that each licenses under GPLv2 and LGPLv2.1 and v2.
Common Cure Rights Commitment
The common commitment language
adopted by each company is:
Before filing or continuing to prosecute any legal proceeding or claim (other than a Defensive Action) arising from termination of a Covered License, [Company] commits to extend to the person or entity ("you") accused of violating the Covered License the following provisions regarding cure and reinstatement, taken from GPL version 3. As used here, the term ‘this License' refers to the specific Covered License being enforced.
However, if you cease all violation of this License, then your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated (a) provisionally, unless and until the copyright holder explicitly and finally terminates your license, and (b) permanently, if the copyright holder fails to notify you of the violation by some reasonable means prior to 60 days after the cessation.
Moreover, your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated permanently if the copyright holder notifies you of the violation by some reasonable means, this is the first time you have received notice of violation of this License (for any work) from that copyright holder, and you cure the violation prior to 30 days after your receipt of the notice.
[Company] intends this Commitment to be irrevocable, and binding and enforceable against [Company] and assignees of or successors to [Company]'s copyrights.
[Company] may modify this Commitment by publishing a new edition on this page or a successor location.
Read the commitment, associated definitions, an FAQ and additional perspective:
- Red Hat: https://www.redhat.com/en/about/gplv3-enforcement-statement and https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/fostering-greater-open-source-development
- Google: https://opensource.google.com/gpl-enforcement/
- IBM: https://developer.ibm.com/code/open/
Supporting Quotes
Michael Cunningham, executive vice
president and general counsel, Red Hat
"We believe in promoting
greater fairness and predictability in license enforcement and the
growth of participation in the open source community. We encourage other
GPLv2 copyright holders to follow our lead."
Allen Lo, vice president and deputy general counsel, Facebook
"Open
source accelerates the pace of innovation in the world. Extending the
good-faith opportunity for developers to correct errors in license
compliance has the potential to help move the industry forward and allow
engineers to focus on building great things."
Mark Ringes, assistant general counsel, IBM
"For many years,
General Public License v2 and V3 have guided the development of the
world's largest shared code base, Linux. Extending GPLv3's
non-compliance cure provision to GPLv2 will enable the continued
adoption and robust growth of Linux for decades to come. IBM has long
been a leading supporter of Linux and open source and assists in the
development of the Linux kernel. Deepening our commitment with this
assertion is a natural evolution of that support."
About Red Hat, Inc.
Red Hat is the world's leading provider
of open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to
provide reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage
and virtualization technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning
support, training, and consulting services. As a connective hub in a
global network of enterprises, partners, and open source communities,
Red Hat helps create relevant, innovative technologies that liberate
resources for growth and prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn
more at http://www.redhat.com.
Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171127005221/en/
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.