Red Hat, Facebook, Google and IBM commit to providing a fair cure
period to correct license compliance issues for GPLv2 software
Company Website:
http://www.redhat.com
RALEIGH, N.C. -- (Business Wire)
Red Hat, Inc. (NYSE: RHT), Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ: FB), Google (NASDAQ:
GOOGL) and IBM (NYSE: 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:
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/
Contacts:
Media:
Red Hat, Inc.
Stephanie Wonderlick, +1
571-421-8169
swonderl@redhat.com
Source: Red Hat, Inc.
© 2024 Canjex Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.