> proprietary interests can take free code without giving anything back.
I have bad news for you. Proprietary interests do take GPL code (any version), heavily modify and extend it, without ever giving back. The GPL specifies that you have to give the source code to the entities you distribute the work to - not to the general public or the original authors.
Since most custom software is B2B, it will "never" show up on the internet. In case the software is bundled into something physical, like an expensive CNC machine, it is even less likely.
My Visio TV has GPLd and other more open code in it (libmpeg2, among others like libpng and libtiff). The manual states something like "As required by law, you can log on to our website and request a CD of the code running on this machine for a manufacturing fee, blah blah".
Naturally, their site has no such thing, and customer service gives you strange looks when you ask for the code that runs on the TV. Its a pretty common red-tape circus. Everyone does that. I have no stake in the matter personally, so I haven't pursued it very far, but you're absolutely correct that GPL code is consistently used inappropriately. The only time the license restricts someone from using it is when they try to follow the rules. "When guns are outlawed, only the outlaws will have guns".
That said, it's still nice to see projects realize this and try to give people that follow the rules more personal freedom to incorporate the code into something that might need to be more closed than a sourceforge project.
I have bad news for you. Proprietary interests do take GPL code (any version), heavily modify and extend it, without ever giving back. The GPL specifies that you have to give the source code to the entities you distribute the work to - not to the general public or the original authors.
Since most custom software is B2B, it will "never" show up on the internet. In case the software is bundled into something physical, like an expensive CNC machine, it is even less likely.