The Free Software Foundation has approved the Affero GPL for Software as a Service applications, reports E Commerce News. The new GPL is based on the GNU GPLv3 but includes terms to let users access source code for software accessed over a network.
In the article, analyst Laura DiDio points out how the new GPL reflects a growing trend toward SaaS.
CNET News also covered the announcement, pointing out that:
The Free Software Foundation apparently hopes that the Affero GPL will help with that issue. CNET reports that the FSF said that code written under GPL and Affero GPL may be combined in some circumstances.
FSF can't hope, honestly. GPLv3 got simply too late, and they couldn't manage to close the GPL loophole within the GPL. Too many stakeholders, too many interests, too many voices.. we needed a stronger GPL and nothing less!