FSF achieves apache license compatibility in latest GPLv3 draft

From this document (PDF):

We are pleased to report that the Final Draft makes the Apache License, version 2.0, fully compatible with GPLv3. (...) The Final Draft makes the Apache indemnification clause compatible with GPLv3 by adding a new category of additional conditions in section 7 that may be applied (...) Another change we have made to section 7 should make clearer that the trademark clause in section 6 of the Apache license is compatible with GPLv3.

Thank you, FSF.

Read more on the FSF site, and head over to Dalibor's blog for more on what's happening in the java open source landscape these days (hint: a lot!). My modest previous blog entry was about the previous public draft.

Among other things, this license compatibility is good news because it means that the GNU Classpath community (if/when they move to GPLv3) can choose to freely use apache-licensed code such as Xerces, Tomcat, Harmony, and other projects, pretty much "as they see fit" (complying with the apache license will not be that hard for any GPLv3-licensed project). And with OpenJDK being under the GPLv2, they can also use all of that code. Freedom for free software hackers is increasing with leaps and bounds.