06.03.07

Tivoization Misconceptions and the Real Purpose of GPLv3

Posted in FSF, GPL, Interview, Law, LGPL, Videos at 6:27 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

It did not take long for TiVo to express its concerns and share its pain in public. However, Richard Stallman is quick to rebut and dispel the myths about GPLv3 and its effect on Tivoization:

“GPLv3 ensures you are free to remove the handcuffs. It doesn’t forbid DRM, or any kind of feature. It places no limits on the substantive functionality you can add to a program, or remove from it. Rather, it makes sure that you are just as free to remove nasty features as the distributor of your copy was to add them,” he continued.

“Tivoization is the way they deny you that freedom; to protect your freedom, GPLv3 forbids tivoization,” wrote Stallman, who is known for his uncompromising views favoring free software.

Professor Moglen says more on the purpose of GPLv3 in the following short segment of his recent interview with

These points are very important because Microsoft and Novell are likely to argue that GPLv3 is nothing but a well-targetted vendetta. They could call it a nasty sting rather than an evolutionary step that protects developers who embrace an upgraded licence.

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