Overhauling the Linux license

Rules governing use of free software programs to be revised for the first time in 15 years, beginning Wednesday.
The New York Times

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Incorrect headline on an otherwise solid article.

Most GPLed programs are licensed under "version 2.1 or later," but the Linux kernel is licensed specifically under 2.1; that means it won't be switching to GPL3.

Since the article discusses mostly GNU software, it's correct to talk about all of that getting a new license. But the headline writer got it wrong.

[Marcus Westrup]

Very very good, or very very bad?

I agree there is a need for the GPL to be more in sync with the way commercial software has evolved, and hopefully avoid future messes as with the SCO debacle.

On the other hand, if it ain?t broke don?t fix it. Licensing agreements walk a tightrope of legal interpretations; one slip up in the final draft will open more loopholes than this update will close.

I hope Stallman can stay the course and keep the wolves (Microsoft etc.) at bay, and stick to the GPL philosophy as closely as possible. But I guess time will tell.