p2p news / p2pnet: The Free Software Foundation’s discussion draft of the General Public License version 3 public is now online and takes a, "highly aggressive" stance against digital restrictions management (DRM) software, promises co-author and FSF general counsel Eben Moglen.

CNET News has Moglen saying the license includes anti-DRM provisions, "that could put it in conflict with movie studios and even digital video recorder maker TiVo".

DRM is, "fundamentally incompatible" with the principles of the Free Software Foundation, Moglen and Free Software Foundation founder and GPL3 co-author Richard Stallman are quoted as saying.

"The planned anti-DRM changes to the GPL are significant because the entertainment industry regularly uses Linux-powered computers in the production process, notably for special effects and animation," says the story. "In general, movie studios support DRM technology to prevent piracy.

"It’s not clear whether the Linux operating system kernel will be governed by version 3 of the GPL when the new license is released; creator Linus Torvalds specifically didn’t follow the Free Software Foundation’s recommendation to describe a software project as governed by version 2 or ‘any later version.’ However, many other components of the operating system, such as the GLIBC library of supporting software and the GCC compiler, are expected to move to GPL 3."

Both Moglen and Stallman have, "voiced concern specifically with TiVo, which uses Linux, because the company collects information on consumers’ actions," CNET continues. "Moglen said TiVo complied with version 2 of the GPL ‘by the skin of its teeth’ and said the company will find more difficulty complying with GPL version 3’s anti-DRM provisions".

What TiVo needs to do and, "what everybody needs to do who makes electronic devices" is to, "stop injuring users to help movie companies," says Moglen.

Hollywood studios that use Linux to create animated movies yet deny users’ freedoms were, "flat unfair."

Also See:
discussion draft - GPL 3 draft online, January 16, 2006
CNET News - New open-source license targets DRM, Hollywood, January 18, 2006

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 19th, 2006 at 9:26 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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