News (18)

Affero: A new GPL for SaaS

The Affero General Public License, a new variation of the seminal General Public License (GPL) specifically for one situation the regular GPL doesn't address, is now final. Read more »

Novell bans proprietary Linux modules

In a change of heart, Novell has ceased distributing proprietary software modules such as 3D video drivers that plug into the Linux kernel. Read more »

Open-source legal body sues over GPL violation

The Software Freedom Law Center has filed suit against Monsoon Multimedia, with potential repercussions for others besides the defendant. Read more »

Public debate on GPL 3 draft begins

The Free Software Foundation on Monday released the first public discussion draft of the General Public Licence version 3, shedding light on proposed reforms to the document's patent and digital rights management provisions. Read more »

GPL clarification needed ASAP

The Free Software Foundation urgently needs to explain how software governed by the current General Public License will interact with that governed by a successor now under development Read more »

Is Microsoft rigging OOXML standards vote?

The Free Software Foundation Europe has accused Microsoft of "stuffing the ballot boxes" in a vote designed to establish Office Open XML as a recognised industry standard. Read more »

Torvalds says DRM isn't necessarily bad

Provisions against digital rights management in a draft update to the GPL could undermine computer security, Linus Torvalds said this week in e-mails reflecting the Linux leader's pragmatic philosophy. Read more »

Stallman: Linux used to track Londoners

Free-software advocate Richard Stallman has spoken out against the association of open-source software with London's "unethical" Oyster-card system. Read more »

Sun CEO wants to "join hands" with Torvalds

Schwartz sees a beautiful future together for Linux and Sun's own Solaris -- and he wants Linus to bring the wine Read more »

Overhaul of GPL set for public release

A major revamp of the General Public Licence is scheduled for public release next week, a move that's expected to kick off a long and vocal debate over the key foundation of open-source programming. Read more »

More Fsf, Government, Open Source News Results

Features (4)

Sprucing up open source's GPL foundation

Modernisation is coming to the General Public License, a legal framework that supports a large part of the free and open-source software movements and that has received sharp criticism from Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates. Read more »

The very real limitations of open source

Yes, open source software benefits society. However, some programmers are questioning the practicability of open source development. Read more »

Developer Spotlight: Richard Stallman

Builder AU recently caught up with RMS to talk about his achievements, the Free Software movement and his concerns with the US-Australian Free Trade Agreement. Read more »

In defence of freedom

The principles are the same, but technology has moved on significantly in the 15 years since the release of GPL 2. Read more »

Log in


Sign up | Forgot your password?

Blogs

RSS feed

  • Staff Crying, mooning and leaving

    In this week's roundup we see that continuous whining can get results, Linux users get 64-bit Flash and Moonlight previews, the latest in the Yahoo/Microsoft relationship and Senator Conroy ducks and weave in Senate Question Time. Read more »

    -- posted by Staff

  • Brendon Chase Sun eye Web developers with Netbeans 6.5

    Despite the recent employment axe hitting Sun the company has pushed out a new release of its Netbeans open source IDE with an eye to appeal more to Web developers. Read more »

    -- posted by Brendon Chase

  • Renai LeMay BarCamp buzz: Let the hacking continue

    Attending last weekend's BarCamp in Sydney, it was hard to escape the conclusion that a certain "dot-com bust" flavour had seeped into the kool aid previously being drunk by Australia's web 2.0 and early stage start-up sector. Read more »

    -- posted by Renai LeMay

What's on?