[FSFE PR][EN] FSFE Welcomes New 'Software Interactions' Document From The European, Legal Network

[press at fsfeurope.org]

= FSFE Welcomes New 'Software Interactions' Document From The European
Legal Network =

[Permanent URL: http://www.fsfe.org/news/2010/news-20100719-01.en.html]

FSFE is proud to welcome the release of a new educational document
on Free Software licensing.  Developed by delegates of the
European Legal Network, the document helps software developers and
lawyers by making it easier to decide under which licenses they
can distribute their work.

'Software Interactions' explains in detail when a program that
contains source code under the GNU General Public License or other
Free Software licenses needs to be distributed under the same
license, and when developers can select another license. It
includes examples of potential legal or community red lines in the
field.

Karsten Gerloff, FSFE's President, says: "While no document can
provide definitive answers for such a complex subject, today's
release is a unique collaborative effort shaped over more than a
year of debate by numerous experts.  It represents the first time
that linking has been discussed so broadly."

FSFE is taking the opportunity of this release to establish
a long-term home for network educational documents on the FSFE
Fellowship blog. This page will expand to include all of the
current and future documents released by the network, and is
intended to provide a simple way for people to locate and share
this material. The document is available at:
  https://wiki.fsfe.org/EuropeanLegalNetwork

'Software Interactions' is the second collaborative legal
knowledge released by the European Legal Network.  The first was
the Risk Grid, published in July 2009 in the 'International Free
and Open Source Software Law Review.'

FSFE has facilitated the European Legal Network since 2007.  From
humble beginnings the network has now grown to contain over 240
members from 27 countries and 4 continents, and is the largest
professional legal forum for Free Software in the world.  While
FSFE does not have editorial control over network discussions and
educational documents, we believe it provides great value to the
broader Free Software community by ensuring legal experts from
commercial, non-commercial and independent entities can share
experience and insight.

If you are a legal expert and would like to contribute to future
network activities, please contact FSFE at legal at fsfeurope.org.

== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==

  The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
  non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
  involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
  participation in a digital society.  To secure equal participation in
  the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
  Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
  furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
  modify and copy. Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues,
  securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people
  Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues
  of the FSFE.

  http://fsfe.org/