Glossary/Copyleft
Glossary | Concepts | Copyleft
'House' Definition
Copyleft is a licensing method that allows users to freely use, modify, and distribute a work, as long as any derivative works are also shared under the same license. A key feature of copyleft is that adaptations must remain freely available, ensuring the work and its derivatives cannot be made proprietary. This promotes collaboration and the open exchange of ideas.
Other Definitions
Discussion
History
The concept of copyleft originated in the 1980s with Richard Stallman, who developed the GNU General Public License (GPL) as part of the Free Software Foundation's GNU Project. Stallman created the GPL to ensure that software remains free and open, countering the rise of proprietary software. The GPL enforces copyleft by requiring modified versions to also use the GPL, ensuring the same freedoms are preserved. It became the foundation for open-source projects like the Linux kernel and later influenced creative works through licenses such as Creative Commons ShareAlike.
Examples
References
The GNU General Public License