In 2007, the third version of the license (GPLv3) was released to address some perceived problems with the second version (GPLv2) which were discovered during the latter's long-time usage.

Oct 15, 2024 · The criteria for what counts as a “system library” vary between different versions of the GPL. GPLv3 explicitly defines “System Libraries” in section 1, to exclude it from the definition of “Corresponding Source.” GPLv2 deals with this …

Apr 12, 2022 · We have a number of resources to help people understand and use our various licenses: The GNU General Public License is often called the GNU GPL for short; it is used by most GNU programs, and by more than half of all free software packages. The latest version is …

GNU GPLv2 The GNU GPL is the most widely used free software license and has a strong copyleft requirement. When distributing derived works, the source code of the work must be made available under the same license. There are multiple variants of …

Nov 30, 2023 · Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for this service if you wish), that you receive source code or can get it if you want it, that you can change the software or use pieces of it in new free programs; and that you know you can do these things.

Feb 5, 2008 · This license, commonly known as the GPL, has two versions that are actively and widely used in many open source communities: If you have licensed software you’ve written under GPL version 2, and you are the original licensor of that software, you may wish to relicense your software under GPL version 3.

Feb 24, 2021 · Among today's more popular OSS licenses is the GNU (of the GNU Project) General Public License Version 2.0, commonly referred to as simply GPL v2. Initially released in 1991, the GPL 2 is a copyleft license, meaning users …

Jan 29, 2025 · This article explores the key features, history, and advantages of GPLv2, its compliance obligations, and its impact on software development. Additionally, it discusses how GPLv2 compares to other licenses and the future of software licensing in a …

The GPLv2 was released two and a half years after GPLv1, and over the following sixteen years, it became the standard for copyleft licensing until the release of GPLv3 in 2007 (discussed in more detail in the next section).

Nov 10, 2005 · Approximately 70% of the projects in the software repository Sourceforge use the GPL v2. This document attempts to draw together the main features of the GNU General Public License v2 into a friendly and comprehensible digest and, in addition, to note some details about its history and usage.