Over at Linux-Watch, Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols has collected reactions to the latest draft of GPLv3 from a dozen lawyers, hackers, observers, bloggers, pundits, and kindred journalists. The verdict? “The GPLv3 debates are only going to continue,” concludes Vaughan-Nichols.

According to Vaughan-Nichols's survey, many in the Linux community — including Linux creator Linus Torvalds himself — see the GPLv3 gradually moving towards viability, driven largely by concessions and compromises on the part of the idealistic Free Software Foundation. The license may be gradually becoming more palatable to big business, hackers, and Linux distributors alike, some surveyed legal minds suggested.

Meanwhile, others see the new draft as increasingly complex, and moving further away from the simplicity and readability of earlier versions. Opinion is also divided on whether the new draft's anti-patent collusion language would help prevent preferential patent pacts such as that recently announced by Microsoft and Novell.

Amidst all the uncertainty and doubt, only one sure thing can be said — debate will continue on the new license, for the foreseeable future.

Click below to read Vaughan-Nichols's survey of GPLv3 draft 3 opinions:

 
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