diff --git a/gpl-lgpl.tex b/gpl-lgpl.tex
index 9c4a223c0f1d8a82f33d6e7bf2cafcc41f9be98a..a979360e7b6f62bcfd60f2fdd61c0e57b8b0cfaa 100644
--- a/gpl-lgpl.tex
+++ b/gpl-lgpl.tex
@@ -799,6 +799,37 @@ today, was indeed a novel invention for its day\footnote{We're all just
 
 \section{The GNU General Public License, Version 2}
 
+The GPLv2 was released two and a half years after GPLv1, and over the
+following sixteen years, it became the standard for copyleft licensing until
+the release of GPLv3 in 2007 (discussed in more detail in the next section).
+
+While this tutorial does not discuss the terms of GPLv1 in detail, it is
+worth noting below the three key changes that GPLv2 brought:
+
+\begin{itemize}
+
+\item Software patents and their danger are explicitly mentioned, inspiring
+  (in part) the addition of GPLv2\S\S5--7.  (These sections are discussed in
+  detail in \S~\ref{GPLv2s5}, \S~\ref{GPLv2s6} and \S~\ref{GPLv2s7} of this
+  tutorial.)
+
+\item GPLv2\S2's copyleft terms are expanded to more explicitly discuss the
+  issue of combined works.  (GPLv2\S2 is discussed in detail in
+  \S~\ref{GPLv2s2} in this tutorial).
+
+\item GPLv2\S3 includes more detailed requirements, including the phrase
+ ``the scripts used to control compilation and installation of the
+  executable'', which is a central component of current GPLv2 enforcement
+  .  (GPLv2\S3 is discussed in detail in
+  \S~\ref{GPLv2s3} in this tutorial).
+\end{itemize}
+
+The next chapter discusses GPLv2 in full detail, and readers who wish to dive
+into the section-by-section discussion of the GPL should jump ahead now to
+that chapter.  However, the most interesting fact to note here is how GPLv2
+was published with little fanfare and limited commentary.  This contrasts
+greatly with the creation of GPLv3.
+
 \section{The GNU General Public License, Version 3}
 
 \section{The Innovation of Optional ``Or Any Later'' Version}