Say what you want about GPLv3, but the update to the most popular open source software license continues to close loopholes that have been used to avoid sharing source code, patent protection and other freedoms that the authors intended. Still, we have yet to see whether this closes off any appeal of the GPL and even open source in general for vendors, developers and users.
This week brought the final release of the Affero GPLv3 (AGPLv3). Although the GPLv3 did not manage to cover software-as-a-service, also known as the ‘ASP loophole,’ the matter is addressed through GPLv3’s compatibility with AGPL. In its most recent release, the AGPLv3 goes beyond allowing for source code availability the same way software is delivered, whether via SaaS or other network or Web services model. It now requires …
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