Press Releases

Release Date: June 27, 2007
Contact:
Travis Larson, (202) 216-2057, tlarson@sifma.org

GNU-Linux Software License Revision Praised By SIFMA

WASHINGTON, DC, June 27, 2007 –The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) today commended the Free Software Foundation and the Software Freedom Law Center for their significant work in introducing Version 3 of the General Public License (GPL).

The GPL is the software license governing the GNU-Linux operating system as well as other software that is widely utilized within the private and public sectors, including many SIFMA members.  Financial service firms ranging from investment banks to commercial banks utilize the GNU-Linux operating system as a platform for trading systems, databases and market data systems.

SIFMA believes that the objectives of the free and open source software community can be achieved consistently and in collaboration with the needs of large end-users, including those in the financial services industries.  SIFMA thanks the foundation for its consideration of the views of SIFMA members and looks forward to the publication of the final version of the GPL. 

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The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association brings together the shared interests of more than 650 securities firms, banks and asset managers. SIFMA's mission is to promote policies and practices that work to expand and perfect markets, foster the development of new products and services and create efficiencies for member firms, while preserving and enhancing the public's trust and confidence in the markets and the industry. SIFMA works to represent its members’ interests locally and globally. It has offices in New York, Washington D.C., and London and its associated firm, the Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, is based in Hong Kong.