{% extends "base_compliance.html" %}

{% block submenuselection %}CopyleftPrinciples{% endblock %}

{% block content %}

[

<a href="/copyleft-compliance/principles.cn.html" lang="zh-CN">简体中文版 (Chinese)</a>

| <a href="/copyleft-compliance/principles.kr.html">한국어 판 (Korean)</a>

]<br/>

<h1>The Principles of Community-Oriented GPL Enforcement</h1>

<p>The GNU General Public License (GPL) is the principal copyleft

license. Copyleft is a framework that permits ongoing sharing of a

published work, with clear permissions that <em>both</em> grant

<em>and</em> defend its users' freedoms &mdash; in contrast to other

free licenses that grant freedom but don't defend it.

Free software released under the GPL is fundamental

to modern technology, powering everything from laptops and desktops to

household appliances, cars, and mobile phones, to the foundations of

the Internet. Following the GPL's terms is easy — it gets more

complicated only when products distributed with GPL'd software also

include software distributed under terms that restrict users. Even in

these situations, many companies comply properly, but some companies

also try to bend or even break the GPL's rules to their perceived

advantage.</p>