From 7f3a5a75535c325aba1682425b4dfc6c6a4c5e81 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Bradley M. Kuhn" Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 21:38:59 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] Section still needs work, but this is better. --- compliance-guide.tex | 30 +++++++++++++++++++++--------- 1 file changed, 21 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-) diff --git a/compliance-guide.tex b/compliance-guide.tex index 9d3d1d0..eb91c40 100644 --- a/compliance-guide.tex +++ b/compliance-guide.tex @@ -744,21 +744,33 @@ generalizations and do not all apply to every alleged violation. \section{Understanding Who's Enforcing} \label{compliance-understanding-whos-enforcing} -% FIXME: this text needs work. +% FIXME-LATER: this text needs work. -At FSF, it is part of the mission to spread software freedom. When FSF +Both FSF and Conservancy has, as part their mission, to spread software +freedom. When FSF or Conservancy enforces GPL, the goal is to bring the violator back into compliance as quickly as possible, and redress the damage caused by the violation. That is FSF's steadfast position in a violation negotiation --- comply with the license and respect freedom. -However, other entities who do not share the full ethos of software -freedom as institutionalized by FSF pursue GPL violations differently. -MySQL AB, a company that produces the GPL'd MySQL database, upon -discovering GPL violations typically negotiates a proprietary software -license separately for a fee. While this practice is not one that FSF -would ever consider undertaking or even endorsing, it is a legal way for -copyright holders to proceed. +However, other entities who do not share the full ethos of software freedom +as institutionalized by FSF pursue GPL violations differently. Oracle, a +company that produces the GPL'd MySQL database, upon discovering GPL +violations typically negotiates a proprietary software license separately for +a fee. While this practice is not one that FSF nor Conservancy would ever +consider undertaking or even endorsing, it is a legally way for copyright +holders to proceed. + +Generally, GPL enforcers come in two varieties. First, there are +Conservancy, FSF, and other ``community enforcers'', who primary seek the +policy goals of GPL (software freedom), and see financial compensation as +ultimately secondary to those goals. Second, there are ``for-profit +enforcers'' who use the GPL as a either a crippleware license, or sneakily +induce infringement merely to gain proprietary licensing revenue. + +Note that the latter model \texit{only} works for companies who hold 100\% of +the copyrights in the infringed work. As such, multi-copyright-held works +are fully insulated from these tactics. \section{Communication Is Key}