@@ -6,7 +6,12 @@
<h1 id="software-freedom-conservancy-proposal-for-gpl-enforcement-grant">History and Future Strategy</h1>
<p>The Software Freedom Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity
registered in New York that continues it work in the are of important
registered in New York. Founded in 2006, Conservancy helps people take control
of their computing by growing the software freedom movement, supporting
community-driven alternatives to proprietary software, and defending free
software with practical initiatives. Conservancy accomplishes these goals
with various initiatives including fiscal sponsorship, licensing and project
governance policy, and public advocacy. Some of Conservancy's most important
licensing policy work involves defending and upholding the rights of
software users and consumers under copyleft licenses, such as the GPL.</p>
@@ -24,7 +29,7 @@
the router, but Linksys and Cisco had failed to provide source code or any
offer for source code to its customers.</p>
<p>A coalition formed including organizations and individuals — including
<p>A coalition formed made up of organizations and individuals — including
Erik Andersen (major contributor to and former leader of the BusyBox
project) and Harald Welte (major contributor to Linux’s netfilter
subsystem) — to enforce the
@@ -115,10 +120,10 @@
<p>There is one overarching irony to this growing dystopia: nearly all these
devices are based primarily on software licensed under the GPL: most
notably, Linux. While Linux-based systems do allow proprietary user-space
applications not licensed under GPL, the kernel (and many other system
applications not licensed under GPL, the kernel and many other system
utilities routinely used in embedded systems, such as Conservancy’s BusyBox
project) are under that license (or similar copyleft licenses such as the
LGPL). These licenses require device markers to provide complete,
project, are under that license (or similar copyleft licenses such as the
LGPL). These licenses require device makers to provide complete,
corresponding source code to everyone in possession of their
devices. Furthermore, Linux’s specific license (GPL, version 2), mandates
that source code must also include “the scripts used to control compilation
@@ -139,9 +144,9 @@
solutions. E-recyclers
like <a href="https://www.freegeek.org/">Freegeek</a> do this regularly for
desktop and laptop machines with GNU/Linux distributions like Debian, and
with OpenWRT for wireless routers. We seek to assure they can do this for
with OpenWRT for wireless routers. We seek to ensure they can do this for
other types of electronic products. However, without the complete,
corresponding source code and the scripts to control its compilation and
corresponding source code, including the scripts to control its compilation and
installation, the fundamental purpose of copyleft is frustrated. Consumers,
hobbyists, non-profit e-recyclers and the general public are left without
the necessary tools they need and deserve, and which the license promises
@@ -168,7 +173,7 @@
<p>“Internet of Things” firmware should never rely on one vendor — even the
vendor of the hardware itself. This centralized approach is brittle and
inevitably leads to invasions of the public’s privacy and control of their
inevitably leads to invasions of the public’s privacy and loss of control of their
technology. Conservancy’s GPL enforcement work is part of the puzzle that
ensures users can choose who their devices connect to, and how they
connect. Everyone deserves control over their own computing — from their
@@ -182,7 +187,7 @@
Project for Linux Developers</h2>
<p>In May 2012, Software Freedom Conservancy
formed <a href="https://sfconservancy.org/copyleft-compliance/">The GPL
formed <a href="https://sfconservancy.org/copyleft-compliance/#linux">The GPL
Compliance Project for Linux Developers</a> in response to frustration by
upstream Linux developers about the prevalence of noncompliance in the
field, and their desire to stand with Conservancy’s BusyBox, Git and Samba
@@ -286,13 +291,13 @@
in the unfunded work to make an MVP alternative firmware. While volunteer
involvement remains essential to the success of alternative firmware
projects, we know from our fiscal sponsorship work that certain aspects of
FOSS projects require an experienced charity to initiate and jump start
FOSS projects require an experienced charity to initiate and jump-start
some of the less exciting aspects of FOSS project creation and
development.</p>
<p>Conservancy plans to select a specific class of device. Upon achieving
compliant source releases in that subindustry through GPL enforcement,
Conservancy will <a href="firmware-liberation">launch an alternative
firmware project</> for that class of device.</p>
Conservancy will <a href="firmware-liberation.html">launch an alternative
firmware project</a> for that class of device.</p>
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