GNU General Public License developed by Richard Stallman in 1989 (second version in 1991 and third in 2007) is used for 70% of free software projects. My opinion on the GPL using SWOT analysis model:
Strengths
One of the strengths I find is having authorship in the focus. A developer shares the work on grounds of public license and should be appreciated as well as any other who will contribute to produce something more of it. The support to spread the modified codes as much as possible whereas GPL assures that patents cannot be used to render the program non-free assures the author that the development and usage of created product or piece continues it the desired way and there will be no situation where the genuine author of a piece will be faced with a license fee in the future.
Weaknesses
There do exist weaker versions of the license giving allowance to some parts becoming proprietary. As it is a development probably derived from the need, it must be useful and valued, but it seems to be against the initial idea of no proprietary products to be produced of codes under GPL. This is a step towards what the license aimed to avoid.
Opportunities
Through free circulation and development and again ongoing circulation of new pieces and codes, the community of developers and supporters of free software and public licensing grows and becomes stronger. The growing community can become a strong base for new innovative solutions born through the collaborative knowledge developed also thanks to the licensing systems that support it.
Threats
As the latest version was released in 2007, earlier users have still stayed to the version 2. It indicates the unwillingness to go with the changes in the known license. Therefore it may become a threat as well as the competing licenses in the field.
Strengths
One of the strengths I find is having authorship in the focus. A developer shares the work on grounds of public license and should be appreciated as well as any other who will contribute to produce something more of it. The support to spread the modified codes as much as possible whereas GPL assures that patents cannot be used to render the program non-free assures the author that the development and usage of created product or piece continues it the desired way and there will be no situation where the genuine author of a piece will be faced with a license fee in the future.
Weaknesses
There do exist weaker versions of the license giving allowance to some parts becoming proprietary. As it is a development probably derived from the need, it must be useful and valued, but it seems to be against the initial idea of no proprietary products to be produced of codes under GPL. This is a step towards what the license aimed to avoid.
Opportunities
Through free circulation and development and again ongoing circulation of new pieces and codes, the community of developers and supporters of free software and public licensing grows and becomes stronger. The growing community can become a strong base for new innovative solutions born through the collaborative knowledge developed also thanks to the licensing systems that support it.
Threats
As the latest version was released in 2007, earlier users have still stayed to the version 2. It indicates the unwillingness to go with the changes in the known license. Therefore it may become a threat as well as the competing licenses in the field.
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