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Mozilla rings in new year with 2.0 license overhaul

Summary: The Mozilla Project's updated 2.0 license -- the first major overhaul in 12 years -- provides for compatibility with the Apache and GPL licenses, improved patent protections and recent changes in copyright law

Paula Rooney

By for Linux and Open Source |

The overseer of the popular Firefox open source browser rang in the new year with an overhaul of its longstanding license -- the Mozilla Public License 2.0.

"Version 2.0 is similar in spirit to the previous versions, but shorter, better, and more compatible with other Free Software and Open Source Licenses," the Mozilla project announced Tuesday

It has been approved by the Free Software Foundation for GPL compatibility and by the Open Source Initiative for meeting open source standards, the project announced.

Version 1.0 of the MPL coincided with the project's initial release in 1998, and the last update, version 1.1, debuted in 1999.

Version 2.0 is similar in many respects to versions 1.1 and 1.0 but calls for a five peer review system (rather than one expert) and aims to be more compatible with updated copyright law, international interpretation, and other significant open source projects, Mozilla announced.

Like its predecessors, version 2.0 is" a “file-level copyleft” license. The license is designed to encourage contributors to share modifications they make to MPL-licensed code, while still allowing users to create projects that combine MPL-licensed code with code under other licenses (either open or proprietary)," the Mozilla project announced.

Also, version 2.0 is "modernized for recent changes in copyright law, and incorporates feedback from lawyers outside the United States on issues of applicability in non-US jurisdictions."

Version 2.0 also:

  • provides patent protections for contributors more in line with those of other open source licenses, and allows an entire community of contributors to protect any contributor if they are sued.
  • provides compatibility with the Apache and GPL licenses, making code reuse and redistribution easier.

[caption id="attachment_10085" align="alignnone" width="768" caption="Mozilla ends 2011, begins 2012 with a bang"]

Mozilla ends 2011, begins 2012 with a bang[/caption]

Topics: Open Source, Browser

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12 comments
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  • gave up on firefox

    Resource hog and generally a pig to work with. Chrome works FireFox doesn't
    Cynical99
    Reply Vote

    • This article was about the MPL 2.0?!

      @Cynical99
      You are way off-topic. (And I disagree with your assessment anyway).

      Did you actually read the article before posting?
      Zogg
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Mozilla rings in new year with 2.0 license overhaul

        @Zogg
        Article comes under category of "Who Cares?"

        memory leaks and other general use issues make Firefox a pig to use. Unless underlying code is fixed, Firefox destined to slide into oblivion.

        Fine to disagree, your opinion is as valid as mine.
        Yes, Chrome has problems, but in my experience, fewer than FireFox by far.
        Cynical99
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Mozilla rings in new year with 2.0 license overhaul

      @Cynical99

      Chrome uses more RAM than Firefox.
      Michael Alan Goff
      Reply Vote

      • Nobody cares if it works

        @Michael Alan Goff
        So what? Memory is cheap, plenty of capacity.

        Firefox has nasty memory leaks. Chrome doesn't. Rather invest in accurate memory management than cheap memory management in FF.
        Cynical99
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Mozilla rings in new year with 2.0 license overhaul

        "Nobody cares if it works"

        And Firefox works.

        "So what? Memory is cheap, plenty of capacity."

        Then why are you complaining about Firefox being a pig?

        "Firefox has nasty memory leaks. Chrome doesn't. Rather invest in accurate memory management than cheap memory management in FF."

        And yet it is still more efficient, not to mention as fast as, Chrome. What's your point?
        Michael Alan Goff
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Mozilla rings in new year with 2.0 license overhaul

      @Cynical99 firefox rules with the extensions vs chome, and unless you're on a 512mb netbook or run 30+ tabs to claim being a super user. then you won't notice memory leaking with v7 or higher anyway.
      Win8AnUglyDisaster
      Reply Vote

      • Funny, hard not to notice leaks

        @johndow1
        I have 8 gig ram, so plenty available. I still notice the leaks from FF.
        Cynical99
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Mozilla rings in new year with 2.0 license overhaul

        @Cynical

        That's weird. I only have 4GB and Firefox runs like a dream on mine.
        Michael Alan Goff
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Mozilla rings in new year with 2.0 license overhaul

    i feel some healthy competition already. :P Well if FireFox uses to much RAM then you can fix it because it open source.
    I like that they are accepting other open source and everything gets along. Sounds good to me what they changed.
    dreamer77dd@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Mozilla rings in new year with 2.0 license overhaul

    It sounds really very interesting to me.<br><br>
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    andersoncrony
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Mozilla rings in new year with 2.0 license overhaul

    I've become curious about the difference between a liscense and a contract and guess that it has the distiction of granting something without being an obligation (contract) but thank you for raising the difference publically.
    Also, I'm not sure about Apache compatibility, but didn't the CDDL exactly address the other four issues (patents, localization/globalization, templatizing, and source/binary distinction)?
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    ValenSmith
    Reply Vote
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