[Discussioni] Fwd: FSF Announces Support of the Affero General Public License, the First Copyleft License for Web Services

[Alessandro Rubini]

> From: "Bradley M. Kuhn" <pr a fsf.org>
> To: info-press a gnu.org
> Subject: [GNU/FSF Press] FSF Announces Support of the Affero General Public License, the First Copyleft License for Web Services
> Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2002 13:25:22 -0500
> 
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> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> 
> Media Contacts:
> 
> Affero
> Henri Poole <press a affero.com>
> Phone: +1-415-371-9900
> 
> Free Software Foundation
> Bradley M. Kuhn <pr a gnu.org>
> Phone: +1-617-542-5942
> 
>             Free Software Foundation Announces Support of the
> Affero General Public License, the First Copyleft License for Web Services
> 
> Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Tuesday, March, 19th, 2002 - The Free
> Software Foundation (FSF) announces support for and invites public comment
> on the first public license designed to protect software distributed as
> Web services: the Affero General Public License (AGPL).  The AGPL combines
> the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL) V2 with one additional provision
> to address software used by the public over a network. The new provision
> enables the author to ensure that users will have the right to use, study,
> copy, modify, and redistribute that software, by providing a mechanism for
> downloading the source and restricting the removal of the mechanism.
> 
> The FSF has worked since its inception in 1985 to promote freedom for
> computer users to share and change software.  In January, 1989, the FSF
> released the GNU GPL Version 1.  It empowered free software developers by
> providing a mechanism which ensured that all users be entitled to use,
> study, copy, modify, and redistribute the software.
> 
> The FSF modified the license in 1991 to meet changes in technology and
> business, with the goal to continue the protection of users' freedoms.
> The license has since been adopted by thousands of software developers,
> from individuals to large organizations such as IBM (NYSE: IBM).
> 
> Eben Moglen, board member and general legal counsel to the Free Software
> Foundation, said: "We are eager to solve problems experienced by free
> software companies, like Affero, who are exploring new business models and
> meeting new challenges that threaten the freedom of software."
> 
> Affero is delivering a new online service which empowers members of
> virtual communities to recognize and reward positive contributions with
> feedback and donations to non-profits and the causes they support. The
> company, committed to the idealism embodied in the GNU GPL, requires full
> protection of software freedom for their user and partner community.
> Because Affero's service is run over a network by their users, Affero
> needed the additional provision to the GNU GPL.  The FSF worked with
> Affero to address the licensing requirements for their business model and
> is considering including this additional provision in the upcoming version
> of the GNU GPL 3.0 and is inviting public comment.
> 
> Affero's software enables any user to download its complete source code on
> any screen in the user interface.  The new licensing provision protects
> the removal of this feature, ensuring that the existing software and any
> derivative works continue to be available to the general public under the
> same terms as the original work.  "As an advocate for the individual, full
> access to Affero's source code is essential to our service" comments Henri
> Poole, President of Affero.  "We are building tools to reward sharing and
> enable more effective community dialogue, and these communities and their
> members should be fully empowered to run, copy, distribute, study, change
> and improve the software.  With new Web delivered services, we need a
> license which will weld the virtual door open."
> 
> For full text of the Affero General Public License, please visit:
> 
>          http://www.affero.org/oagpl.html
> 
> Public comments about the Affero General Public License can be sent
> to:  agpl a fsf.org
> 
> About the Free Software Foundation:
> 
> The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting
> computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute
> computer programs.  The FSF promotes the development and use of Free (as
> in freedom) Software - particularly the GNU operating system and its
> GNU/Linux variants - and Free Documentation for Free Software.  The FSF
> also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of
> freedom in the use of software.  Their web site, located at
> http://www.fsf.org, is an important source of information about GNU/Linux.
> They are headquartered in Boston, MA, USA.
> 
> About Affero:
> 
> Affero, Inc., founded in 2001, was established to empower individuals
> to introduce their communities to non-profit organizations, projects
> and causes.  Services combine a rating system with a commerce system.
> Individuals can rate the value of contributions as well as make
> donations on behalf of the efforts extended by community participants.
> All funds pledged as as result of these interactions are disbursed to
> beneficiaries of the volunteer's choice.  Affero endorses the
> development and use of Free Software and their web site can be found
> at http://www.affero.org.  They are headquartered in San Francisco,
> CA, USA.
> 
> 
> Copyright (C) Free Software Foundation, Inc., and Affero, Inc.
> 
> Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in
> any medium, provided this notice is preserved.