GPLv3 Project Status

GNU Public Licence v3 Development and Publicity Project

On June 29th 2007, the final versions of the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3) and the Lesser GNU General Public License (LGPL) version 3 were released to the public. For that occasion, Richard Stallman gave the key speech at an event party in Boston. This presentation was streamed over internet.

The Novell and Microsoft patent deal had caused some delay in the process, originally due for March 2007. The activities by Microsoft were used to demonstrate the need for GPLv3; the media attention for the deal was used to tell the story of the free software movement. Free Software got promoted with articles and videos, and through on-line and local community activities.

The drafts of GPLv3 met considerable opposition from corporations. These reactions were encouraged by the large media conglomorates which utilize Digital Rights Management (DRM), making digital copying and sharing impossible. In tactical response, an antiDRM campaign was launched on May 23rd 2006 to raise public awareness. It successfully aimed to name DRM as an antisocial technology. Over 25,000 technologists joined the campaign, pledging to take direct action to the threats posed by DRM. This `DefectiveByDesign' campaign had significant press coverage. It shows that technologists can be social activists. This campaign is still ongoing.

A series of short video clips are being developed on video sharing sites. They focus on the popular story of the Free Software Movement.

In a number of Open Letters to be created, well-known personalities will promote Free Software. These letters are targetted on different user communities, like NGO, educational, and governmental.