Torvalds: Give me GPLv2

Sam Varghese
Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:36

Opinion and Analysis

If there were any doubts over Linus Torvalds' position on the forthcoming third version of the General Public License (GPLv3), the creator of the Linux kernel has made his position clear.

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In a posting to the kernel mailing list, Torvald, in his characteristic simple style, outlined why he prefers the GPLv2 - and also why he thinks the draft GPLv3 is in some ways a backward step.

The posting was originally made to the Groklaw website which deals with legal issues concerning free and open source software.

According to Torvalds, the GPLv2 is preferable because it concerns itself with the simple issue of tit for tat. "The GPLv2 covers the only thing that really matters, and the only thing that everybody can agree on ("tit-for-tat" is really something everybody understands, and sees the same way - it's totally independent of any moral judgement and any philosophical, cultural or economic background)," he wrote.

"The thing is, exactly because the GPLv2 is not talking about the details, but instead talks entirely about just a very simple issue, people can get together around it. You don't have to believe in the FSF or the tooth fairy to see the point of the GPLv2. It doesn't matter if you're black or white, commercial or non-commercial, man or woman, an individual or a corporation - you understand tit-or-tat."

Pointing out that the original Linux licence had said in effect "give all source back and never charge any money", Torvalds said he had switched the licence to GPLv2 because it was fair. "In other words, my original license (sic) very much had a 'fear and loathing' component to it. It was exactly that "never charge any money" part. But I realized (sic) that in the end, it was never really about the money, and that what I really looked for in a license was the "fairness" thing."