The Free Software Foundation is up in arms over Apple’s iTunes Store Terms of Service, suggesting that these terms fundamentally conflict with the terms of the GNU Public License, according to an “Ars Technica” report (http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/05/fsf-apples-itunes-store-terms-of-service-at-odds-with-gpl.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss).
The foundation has warned Apple that a version of GNU Go distributed by the App Store makes Apple liable to comply with GPL terms that allow free sharing of code, but warned that its “Usage Rules” violate those terms. The fallout could potentially affect any app that uses GPLed code, says “Ars Technica.”
An iPhone port of GNU Go is currently being distributed through Apple’s App Store. However, this distribution is not in compliance with the GNU GPL, says the Free Software Foundation. The primary problem is that Apple imposes numerous legal restrictions on use and distribution of GNU Go through the iTunes Store Terms of Service, which is forbidden by section 6 of GPLv2.
“So today we have written to Apple and asked them to come into compliance,” the Foundation says. “We would be happy to see Apple distribute these programs under the GPL’s terms, but unfortunately, it seems much more likely that they’ll simply make the problem go away by removing GNU Go from the App Store.”
You can read their report here: http://www.fsf.org/news/2010-05-app-store-compliance/ .
