SFP#12: Enforcement of the GNU GPL with Till Jaeger

With our 12th episode of the Software Freedom Podcast we dig into the

history and the beginning of enforcing Free Software licences, especially

the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL). Together with Till Jaeger, who has

been working alongside Harald Welte for enforcing the GNU GPL in the first

court cases in Germany, we talk about the long way we have come since those

early days.

Our guest, Till Jaeger, discusses with our host, Matthias Kirschner, how the

decision to go to court and stand up for the rights of copyleft licences

came about. Till and Matthias tell an exciting story about those first steps

on this new legal ground. They also highlight the short term and long term

impacts of the first court decision in favour of Free Software. For example,

how more and more information about licensing and especially using a Free

Software licence became available and publicly known. But also how

workshops, like the FSFE's yearly Legal

and Licensing Workshop, were created for those interested in using and

being compliant to Free Software licences.

Discover together with us the changes that have come from those first steps

to the acceptance of Free Software in companies. Till has been involved with

Free Software licensing for a long time and provides a deep and well rounded

insight into the history of enforcing the GNU GPL. To give this episode a

perfect ending, Matthias and Till also talk about some of the most common

misunderstandings of Free Software licensing. This is the perfect episode

for everyone to get an insight into one of the most important events in the

history of enforcing Free Software licences.