[Committee-d] Last minute comments on GPLv3-draft2

[Eben Moglen]

Thanks, Peter,

I appreciate the comments very much. I think the WIPO reference might
indeed be a superior approach in section 3: I am currently reviewing
the opinions of counsel around the world we commissioned in order to
understand what form of statutory repulsion would work best.  

On the "keys as source" approach, I think we have all agreed it
probably should go, either for analytical or for political reasons.
We are now concentrating attention on adoption into GPL of a principle
that has a long history in the LGPL: a possible requirement on
non-source distribution that any GPL'd code in a functional
combination be user-replaceable to fix bugs or install a later
version, in any system in which the vendor retains or conveys to third
parties the power of after-sale modification.  Vendors want
knowledgeable corporate purchasers to be able to waive this right, but
influential vendors have conceded that this might be a good rule for
"consumer" devices.  RMS doesn't want to take the approach of
distinguishing consumer from non-consumer devices.  I'm not sure what
the last days of draft2 discussion will develop.

Best regards,
Eben