On Fri, 3 Feb 2006, David M.Besonen wrote:
does the gpl (v2 or v3-draft) address the issue of hosted apps?
GPLv2 does not.
specifically, does the gpl prevent someone from taking code, modifying it, and putting it on a server and charging people to use the app without making the source available?
GPLv3 had verbiage in it which looked at first glance to be an attempt to be compatible with the Affero license (see also) without actually requiring it for GPLv3 works per se.
Looking at D-L archives for Affero and "ASP loophole" will likely be informative. I'm strongly of the opinion that any attempt to limit private modification (including hosted apps), or require distribution of source when not distributing anything else is non-free.
-- Mark Rafn dagon@dagon.net <http://www.dagon.net/>