Specifications

DevelopersthatusetheGNUGPLprotectyourrightswithtwosteps:(1)assertcopyright
onthesoftware,and(2)offeryouthisLicensegivingyoulegalpermissiontocopy,
distributeand/ormodifyit.
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Forthedevelopers'andauthors'protection,theGPLclearlyexplainsthatthereisno
warrantyforthisfreesoftware.Forbothusers'andauthors'sake,theGPLrequiresthat
modifiedversionsbemarkedaschanged,sothattheirproblemswillnotbeattributed
erroneouslytoauthorsofpreviousversions.
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Somedevicesaredesignedtodenyusersaccesstoinstallorrunmodifiedversionsofthe
softwareinsidethem,althoughthemanufacturercandoso.Thisisfundamentally
incompatiblewiththeaimofprotectingusers'freedomtochangethesoftware.The
systematicpatternofsuchabuseoccursintheareaofproductsforindividualstouse,
whichispreciselywhereitismostunacceptable.Therefore,wehavedesignedthisversion
oftheGPLtoprohibitthepracticeforthoseproducts.Ifsuchproblemsarisesubstantially
inotherdomains,westandreadytoextendthisprovisiontothosedomainsinfuture
versionsoftheGPL,asneededtoprotectthefreedomofusers.
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Finally,everyprogramisthreatenedconstantlybysoftwarepatents.Statesshouldnot
allowpatentstorestrictdevelopmentanduseofsoftwareongeneral‐purposecomputers,
butinthosethatdo,wewishtoavoidthespecialdangerthatpatentsappliedtoafree
programcouldmakeiteffectivelyproprietary.Topreventthis,theGPLassuresthat
patentscannotbeusedtorendertheprogramnon‐free.
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Theprecisetermsandconditionsforcopying,distributionandmodificationfollow.
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TERMSANDCONDITIONS
0.Definitions.
“ThisLicense”referstoversion3oftheGNUGeneralPublicLicense.
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“Copyright”alsomeanscopyright‐likelawsthatapplytootherkindsofworks,suchas
semiconductormasks.
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“TheProgram”referstoanycopyrightableworklicensedunderthisLicense.Eachlicensee
isaddressedas“you”.“Licensees”and“recipients”maybeindividualsororganizations.
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