Community Quote by Linus Torvalds
“I'd like to point out that I don't think that there is anything fundamentally superior in the GPL as compared to the BSD license, for example. But the GPL is what I want to program with, because unlike the BSD license it guarantees that anybody who works on the project in the future will also contribute their changes back to the community.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Linus Torvalds on open‑source licensing, 2005
The GPL ensures that contributions remain open, fostering a collaborative community, unlike permissive BSD which allows closed forks.
In simple terms: GPL keeps code open for everyone; BSD is more permissive.
Key Takeaway
Choose GPL to protect community contributions.
Themes
open source
licensing
community
collaboration
software development
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
technical
policy
When to use this quote
- software projects
- open‑source initiatives
- developer teams
Key Concepts
copyleft
intellectual property
software ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How important is code openness to you?
- What balance between freedom and protection do you prefer?
A Different Perspective
GPL may deter commercial adoption or create legal complexity.
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