www/licenses why-affero-gpl.html

[Richard M. Stallman]

CVSROOT:        /web/www
Module name:    www
Changes by:     Richard M. Stallman <rms>       13/11/20 16:17:32

Modified files:
        licenses       : why-affero-gpl.html 

Log message:
        Clarify how AGPL relates to the SaaSS issue.

CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/licenses/why-affero-gpl.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.17&r2=1.18

Patches:
Index: why-affero-gpl.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/licenses/why-affero-gpl.html,v
retrieving revision 1.17
retrieving revision 1.18
diff -u -b -r1.17 -r1.18
--- why-affero-gpl.html 29 Jul 2013 10:37:09 -0000      1.17
+++ why-affero-gpl.html 20 Nov 2013 16:17:30 -0000      1.18
@@ -42,26 +42,36 @@
 text allowing you to link together modules under these two licenses in
 one program.</p>
 
-<!-- Added a link to rms' article here. If it can be improved, please do it! 
-->
-<p>One problem which the GNU Affero GPL does not address is the
-problem of Software as a Service (SaaS).  It is impossible, as far as
-we know, to address this problem with a software
-license. <a href="/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">
-[1] </a></p>
-
-<p>SaaS means the use of someone's network server, by others, to do
-work which is their own computing.  They have to send their data to
-the server, which does their computing for them, and sends the results
-back to them.  SaaS is a problem because the users cannot control the
-computing which the server does for them.</p>
+<p>The GNU Affero GPL does not address the problem
+of <a href="/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">
+Service as a Software Substitute (SaaSS)</a>.</p>
+
+<p>SaaSS means that users use someone else's web server to do their
+own computing.  This requires them to send their data to the server,
+which does their computing for them and sends the results back to
+them.  SaaSS is an injustice because the users cannot control their
+computing when it's done that way.</p>
 
 <p>If some program on this server is released under the GNU Affero
-GPL, it requires that the users have a way to download the
-corresponding source of that program.  That is good, but having this
-source code does not give them control over the computing the server
-does for them.  It also does not tell them what other software may be
-running on that server, examining or changing their data in other
-ways.</p>
+GPL, the server is required to offer the users the corresponding
+source of that program.  That is good, but having this source code
+does not give them control over the computing done on that server.  It
+also does not tell them what other software may be running on that
+server, examining or changing their data in other ways.</p>
+
+<p>We don't see any sensible way to address the SaaSS problem with
+license conditions on particular programs.  Even to write a legal
+condition to distinguish between SaaSS use and non-SaaSS use would be
+a challenge, and if we had that, it is not clear what we would want to
+require in the SaaSS case.  Thus, our solution to the problem of SaaSS
+is simple: refuse to use it.</p>
+
+<p>If a program is meant specifically and only for SaaSS, you
+shouldn't write it.  But many programs are useful for a variety of
+kinds of services, including some that are SaaSS and some that are
+not.  It's useful to write and release these programs so people can
+set up non-SaaSS services with them, and good to release them under
+the AGPL.</p>
 
 </div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above -->
 <!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" -->
@@ -118,7 +128,7 @@
 
 <p>Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2013/07/29 10:37:09 $
+$Date: 2013/11/20 16:17:30 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
 </div>