GPL-Violations.org and FSFE's Freedom Task Force to work more closely together
GPL-Violations.org and FSFE's Freedom Task Force to work more closely together
Coordinators of the FSFE Freedom Task Force (FTF) and GPL-Violations.org recently met in Berlin to discuss future cooperation. The two organisations have agreed to deepen their partnership, building on their combined work since the launch of the FTF in October 2006.
GPL-Violations.org will be pro-actively working on cases and seeking resolutions where violations occur. The FTF will continue and expand its educational and networking activities to ensure awareness of best practice and help support people with their use of the licences.
"Since GPL-Violations.org was launched the software market in Europe has changed significantly," states Harald Welte, founder of GPL-Violations.org. "It is a clear, legal fact that distributing Free Software means people must comply with the licences. GPL-Violations.org and the FTF are now building the long-term legal infrastructure for support and compliance."
Key outcomes of the new arrangement between the FTF and GPL-Violations.org include an agreement that GPL-Violations.org will assist the FTF in getting a second full-time staff member. This will help the FTF to deliver services such as answering common licensing questions, offering training and consultancy, resolving licensing issues, helping projects consolidate copyright and acting as a legal guardian for fiduciary programme members.
"GPL-Violations.org has been critical in building understanding of licensing in Europe, and it has also been critical in the development of the FTF," say Shane Coughlan, FTF Coordinator. "I believe our new agreement will help ensure sustainability for legal infrastructure to support Free Software in Europe."
"The key thing now is to look to the future. The FTF facilitates a European Legal Network with coverage of seventeen European countries and over 100 members. I'd like to encourage European businesses and projects with legal counsel, or individual lawyers, to join this network. It provides an excellent forum for sharing knowledge about legal aspects of Free Software licensing and making new contacts."
The Freedom Task Force can be found at http://www.fsfeurope.org/ftf/ The Freedom Task Force can be emailed at ftf at fsfeurope.org
About the Free Software Foundation Europe:
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and involved in many global activities. Access to software determines participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study, modify and copy. Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues of the FSFE.
About gpl-violations.org
In the past 30 months, gpl-violations.org has helped uncover and negotiate more than 100 GPL violations and has obtained numerous out-of-court settlement agreements. The gpl-violations.org project is a not-for-profit effort to bring commercial users and vendors of Free Software into compliance with the license conditions as set forth by the original authors. The project was founded and is managed by Mr. Harald Welte, a Linux Kernel developer and Free Software enthusiast.