The first version of the affero general public license agplv1, was published by affero, inc. The gplv3 is explicitly irrevocable, so if the software was licensed under the gplv3. If you are interested, you can read the complete essay its really not that long. The blogosphere has started buzzing with the suggestion that gplv3 isnt going to address the socalled asp loophole, where users interact. Ive always wondered about whether the agpl is a good fit for software that isnt accessed over the network. Gplv3 licensing and softwareasaservice web apps software. When the reforged gnu general public license, version 3 gplv3 was finalized and released to an expectant public on june 29, 2007, the most important decision may have been one postponed. This is why the free software foundation fsf is revising the gpl and working toward gplv3 which may end up addressing the question of gpled software being used by application service providers asps to provide software as a service saas. Originally we referred to this problematical practice as saas, which stands for software as a service. Users can access the applications over the internet via a web browser and further software isn. By contrast, the gnu general public license is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change all versions of a. Software as a service and gnu gpl licensing is not complex, the motto of the license is for disallowing the softwares to control the users and modify, distribute, develop, use the softwares with full freedom along with the other points written in the license. While i have already expressed my concerns commenting others posts, i.
What is the difference between gpl, agpl and lgpl licenses. At first glance this would appear to offer the exact same rights as the gpl in this scenario, however you then have the protection of the agpl if the software was ever incorporated into a networked program. 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. The article describes how during the gpl v3 discussions, there was a move to close the saas loophole by including some of the provisions of the affero general public license or agpl. Free software foundation announces support of the affero general public license, the first. How can saas companies ensure that they are complying to their open source. The question and answer no longer available on linkedin are reproduced, in slightly edited form, below. Cloud computing saas licenses is agpl the solution. Its a commonly used term for setting up software on a server rather than offering copies of it to users, and we thought it described precisely the cases where this problem occurs. Gpl and lgpl open source licensing restrictions stack. Stallman is such a control freak about his particular vision of software freedom that he says the following about saas. The license allows developers and companies to use and integrate a software component released under the lgpl into their own even proprietary software without being required by the terms of a strong copyleft license to release the source code of their own. The weapon of choice that the movement developed and deployed to respond to the unique challenges imposed by the emerging cloudbased saas environment was the affero gplv3 agplv3, which covers popular applications. The free software foundation few days ago released the gnu general public license version 3, as earlier draft versions it doesnt fix the saas loophole, leaving unhappy some entrepreneurs a substantial hole, by rich.
Fsf finalizes gplbased license for web services network. I understand its likely legal for uci engines because they speak a standard protocol and you can swap them in and out at will can switch to komodo, thus demonstrating that the engine stands alone compared. Do i need to provide access to source code under the agplv3 license. As a saas provider we can exploit this base of code to do what we want without fear. Some poeple will love your software but distrust the saas idea. Gplv3 and software as a service free software foundation working together for free software skip to content, sitemap or skip to search. The gpl saas loophole made headlines around the time the agpl was released. Thus saas is an allowed usage, not an attack vector. Using open source projects in a saas offering is extremely common, yet many developers dont really understand what that means to the company or to their. It is being republished by open health news under the terms of the creative commons attributionsharealike 4. Saas applications are often located on servers in data centers and used for services such as email. The free software foundation has approved the affero gpl for software as a service applications, reports e commerce news.
Its a widely held belief that you cant mix gpl code and code covered by other open source licenses. The agplv3 is based on version 3 of the gpl but includes an additional terms to allow users who interact with the licensed software over a network to receive the source code for that program. The free software foundation has published a new opensource software license aimed at developers whose code is used for software asaservice saas applications. But elgg core plugins, such as groups, are released under an exclusive gplv2 license that is incompatible with the abovementioned licenses. On the one hand, i agree completely with linux magazine about the correctness of this decision. Tim oreilly has an interesting post on why the gplv3 took a pragmatic approach when it came to the saas loophole i. To convey a work means any kind of propagation that enables other parties to make or receive copies. Difference between afferogpl and gplv3 closed ask question asked 10 years, 2 months ago.
I recently answered a linkedin question about whether providing software as a service saas is considered a distribution under the opensource gnu general public license. The gplv3 covers tivoisation this is a new term invented by the fsf, which is not used as is in the gplv3 meaning that it prevents hardware providers to adapt free software in order to implement and lock a. The free software foundation has published a new opensource software license aimed at developers whose code is used for saas applications. Saas providers will often get asked to create onpremise versions of their software. Then we have the following from section 0 of gplv3, itself.
The gnu lesser general public license lgpl is a free software license published by the free software foundation fsf. Gplv3 and software as a service by brett smith contributions published on mar 29, 2007 09. If a saas product is created using the code from a gpl project and is fully maintained by that company, what would happen if that gpl project has its license updated from gpl to agpl. Open source licensing for software as a service ross. This day in 1814, the treaty of fontainebleu was signed. Although then he cannot publish the software itself i. Tim oreilly addresses this while making yet another argument for. Do i need to provide access to source code under the. I am trying to figure out once and for all how the gplv3 interacts with web applications, specifically saas applications. The fsf is a charity with a worldwide mission to advance software freedom. Effects of cloud computing on opensource compliance. The saas loophole in gpl open source licenses whitesource. Lgpl allows you to use and distribute the open source software with your application without releasing the source code for your application. Saas companies are more free to use gpl licensedcode because the obligations of the gpl are triggered upon software distribution and saas.
Is hosting a software as a saas offering considered as distribution under gpl. The gnu general public license is a free, copyleft license for software and other kinds of works. The original copy of the article can be found here. Eben on gplv3 and saas someone just asked eben moglen about why gplv3 didnt stick to its original intention to apply the gpl to distribution on the web, by which i mean distribution of software. Free software foundation targets microsofts smart assistant in new campaign apr 01, 2020 lets encrypt, jim meyering, and clarissa lima borges receive fsfs 2019 free software awards mar 14, 2020 young hackers to deliver opening keynote.
Its a commonly used term for setting up software on a server rather than offering copies of it to users, and we thought it described precisely the. Als konsequenz kann man gpllizenzierte komponenten in saasprojekten benutzen. The software freedom law center provides practical advice for developers about including permissively licensed source. At the oreilly radar executive briefing on open source in portland the week after next, well be talking with eben moglen about gplv3, with a specific focus on this decision, and the general issues of web 2. The free software foundation on monday published the gnu affero general public license version 3, a version of the gnu gplv3 designed specifically for networkoriented free software. With the third iteration of the most popular open source license, the free software foundation tackled weighty questions relating to software patents, license. However, it is allowed to switch from the gplv3, to a variant, the affero gplv3 agplv3 that covers saas like the eupl. Apache 2 software can therefore be included in gplv3 projects, because the gplv3 license accepts our software into gplv3. Gpl project watch list for week of 04112008 safeview.
If you do that, then youd be distributing the software, and the gpl opensource provisions would then apply. If youre known by the enemies you keep, then software as a service received a boost the other day when it was bashed by richard stallman, the free software gnuru. Verwendung gpllizenzierter komponenten in kommerziellen. Extending the gpl for application service providers. In the article, analyst laura didio points out how the new gpl reflects a growing trend toward saas. The free software foundation considers the apache license, version 2. Accordingly, youve heard that you dont need to think very much about open source software licenses other than affero gplv3 agplv3 and. Free software foundation releases a variation of the gpl that brings its reciprocity obligations to software running as an online service. The licenses for most software and other practical works are designed to take away your freedom to share and change the works. Eben on gplv3 and saas someone just asked eben moglen about why gplv3 didnt stick to its original intention to apply the gpl to distribution on the web, by which i mean distribution of software as. Free software foundation working together for free software.
Legal concerns for saas companies going onprem fossa. Since gpl requires providing access to source code, and agplv3 section is an additional condition specifically added to plug the loophole in saaslike software, does not it imply that agplv3 also requires providing source code access, irrespective of whether it is modified or not. I havent been able to find a concrete answer about this. Open source came before, if not provided a platform for, software as a service. Smith, brett march 29, 2007, gplv3 and software as a service also includes info on version 2 of the affero gpl. The new gpl is based on the gnu gplv3 but includes terms to let users access source code for software accessed over a network. Open source licenses have a big loophole for the most common method of software distribution today. The affero general public license affero gpl and informally affero license is a free software license. Saas use of opensource software is not distribution who.
The article describes how during the gpl v3 discussions, there was a move to close the saas loophole by including some of the provisions of. The gplv3 specifically states what the source code is and its the combined work of the gpl code and the rest of the site. Mere interaction with a user through a computer network, with no transfer of a copy, is not conveying. Gpl requires you to release the source code of your application if you choose to use and distribute the gpl licensed open source software with your application. The saas developers ubershort guide to using open source projects. The gnu affero general public license is a free, copyleft license published by the free software foundation in november 2007, and based on the gnu general public license, version 3 and the affero general public license the free software foundation has recommended that the gnu agplv3 be considered for any software that will commonly be run over a network. The only major threat to open source software license models like the gpl is the spread of cloud computing and software as a service saas business models.
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