🔒FreeBSD Retires Last GNU GPL Code in Base System
GNU GPL code is gone from FreeBSD base system
TL;DR
FreeBSD has removed the last piece of GNU GPL licensed software, dialog, from its base system. This marks a significant shift in licensing for the operating system.
FreeBSD has officially retired the final GNU GPL licensed code from its base system, ending an era of mixed licensing. The removal of 'dialog' completes FreeBSD's transition to a fully proprietary base system, impacting developers who rely on open-source licenses. With the upcoming release of FreeBSD 16.0 in December 2027, users will see no GNU GPL licensed code in their core systems, signaling a shift towards more permissive licensing models.
Key Points
FreeBSD 16.0 will be released in December 2027, marking the end of GNU GPL licensed code in the base system.
The FreeBSD installer switched from 'dialog' to 'bsddialog', a non-GPL alternative.
dpv was the last user of dialog and is now turned off with its retirement.
A ticket to retire dialog was opened in February and merged into the source tree for FreeBSD 16.0.
FreeBSD's base system has been completely free of GNU GPL licensed code since this change.
Why It Matters
If you're developing software on FreeBSD, your core dependencies will now be entirely proprietary or under more permissive licenses like BSD. This shift could impact licensing compliance and compatibility with other open-source projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this matter?
If you're developing software on FreeBSD, your core dependencies will now be entirely proprietary or under more permissive licenses like BSD. This shift could impact licensing compliance and compatibility with other open-source projects.
What happened?
FreeBSD has removed the last piece of GNU GPL licensed software, dialog, from its base system. This marks a significant shift in licensing for the operating system.
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