GPLv3 ... any questions?

[Tsuroerusu]

I watched the FSF's live stream of their unveiling of GPLv3, and then went on to read through the actual license document.
I have read it two and a half times now, and I think it's really a good license. Although written in a more lawyer-style language, it's still readable by human beings, albeit with a little bit of effort.

I feel that I've understood the license quite well, so I feel pretty confident when I say this. Any questions, guys?

[Wally Balljacker]

Is this new license going to prompt Tivo to switch to NetBSD?

[Tsuroerusu]

Is this new license going to prompt Tivo to switch to NetBSD?

That really depends. Because I know they are using an old version of both the Linux kernel and the GNU system, they could just stick with that, which they might have done for a while despite GPLv3, and then there's no problems for them.
If they want to use GPLv3 programs in their box, a user has to be able to modify that program, which is covered by GPLv3, running in the Tivo, and have it work like it would without modification (Of course if the user, makes a change that technically makes normal operations impossible, then there's no requirement of say video recordings to work).

Another thing they could do is put all their software in a ROM, which then would exclude them from this requirement. The FSF's rationale behind this is that if you burn something in ROM, then you can't modify it yourself, so if you sell a person a device with GPLv3 code burned to a ROM (Which you can't rewrite), then you give him all the same freedom that you had once the software was installed in the machine.

Since your question was not specifically about the license, I can't answer it directly, but you can judge for yourself, here's the "anti-Tivoization" part of section 6 of GPLv3:

A “User Product” is either (1) a “consumer product”, which means any tangible personal property which is normally used for personal, family, or household purposes, or (2) anything designed or sold for incorporation into a dwelling. In determining whether a product is a consumer product, doubtful cases shall be resolved in favor of coverage. For a particular product received by a particular user, “normally used” refers to a typical or common use of that class of product, regardless of the status of the particular user or of the way in which the particular user actually uses, or expects or is expected to use, the product. A product is a consumer product regardless of whether the product has substantial commercial, industrial or non-consumer uses, unless such uses represent the only significant mode of use of the product.

“Installation Information” for a User Product means any methods, procedures, authorization keys, or other information required to install and execute modified versions of a covered work in that User Product from a modified version of its Corresponding Source. The information must suffice to ensure that the continued functioning of the modified object code is in no case prevented or interfered with solely because modification has been made.

If you convey an object code work under this section in, or with, or specifically for use in, a User Product, and the conveying occurs as part of a transaction in which the right of possession and use of the User Product is transferred to the recipient in perpetuity or for a fixed term (regardless of how the transaction is characterized), the Corresponding Source conveyed under this section must be accompanied by the Installation Information. But this requirement does not apply if neither you nor any third party retains the ability to install modified object code on the User Product (for example, the work has been installed in ROM).

The requirement to provide Installation Information does not include a requirement to continue to provide support service, warranty, or updates for a work that has been modified or installed by the recipient, or for the User Product in which it has been modified or installed. Access to a network may be denied when the modification itself materially and adversely affects the operation of the network or violates the rules and protocols for communication across the network.

Corresponding Source conveyed, and Installation Information provided, in accord with this section must be in a format that is publicly documented (and with an implementation available to the public in source code form), and must require no special password or key for unpacking, reading or copying.

[Tsuroerusu]

IBM seems happy: http://www.builderau.com.au/news/soa/GP ... 403,00.htm