FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Free Software Foundation Bradley M. Kuhn pr@gnu.org Phone: +1-617-542-5942
FSF and FSMLabs come to agreement on a GPL-compliant version of RTLinux Open Patent License
Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Tuesday, September 18, 2001 - The Free Software Foundation and Finite State Machine Labs (FSMLabs) have come to an agreement on a fully GPL-compliant version of FSMLabs RTLinux Open Patent License. FSF and FSMLabs are working to finalize the license language; FSMLabs will be publishing on its website the text of that license, with a statement by FSF confirming its GPL-compliant status, in the very near future.
The FSF has already withdrawn its press statement (issued Friday, 14 September 2001) concerning RTLinux license terms. Our differences turned out to be mostly a result of unfortunate miscommunications and we urge everyone to put this dispute behind them. FSF and FSMLabs expect to continue their cooperation to secure availability of FSMLabs patented technology for use in GNU/Linux systems.
The FSF thanks FSMLabs for its contribution of this patent license to the free software community, and for its longstanding support and publication of free software under the GPL.
About GNU/Linux:
GNU is a Free Software Unix-like operating system. GNU/Linux is the integrated combination of the GNU operating system with the kernel, Linux, written by Linus Torvalds in 1991. The various versions of GNU/Linux have an estimated 20 million users.
Some people call the GNU/Linux system "Linux", but this misnomer leads to confusion (people cannot tell whether you mean the whole system or the kernel, one part), and spreads an inaccurate picture of how, when and where the system was developed. Making a consistent distinction between GNU/Linux, the whole operating system, and Linux, the kernel, is the best way to clear up the confusion.
About the Free Software Foundation:
The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom) software---particularly the GNU operating system and its GNU/Linux variants---and free documentation for free software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of freedom in the use of software. Their web site, located at http://www.gnu.org, is an important source of information about GNU/Linux. They are headquartered in Boston, MA, USA.