Mark A. Hershberger wrote:
> You do realize that the GPL was created exactly because of the problems
> you are talking about, don't you?
I have yet to see anything from RMS that would show that to be the case.
As I said earlier, his argument seems to be that the user's right to
access the code is more important the author's right to control his
code. I take huge exception to that.
> Can you name one time when someone successfully used the GPL to claim
> rights to software they did not control? When they used the GPL to, in
> effect, steal another persons labor? And I mean a specific example, not
> just “the GPL is evil!”
There was a debacle a few years back where BSD sources were stolen, the
BSD licenses stripped and the GPL license put in its place. Not sure
you could call that successful or not, but it did cause quite a stir.
> The GPL is no more evil than the copyright system as a whole. In fact,
> you might not agree with me on this, but I would argue GPL subverts some
> of what is currently wrong with our copyright system.
I'd argue that the GPL simply exploits the evils of the copyright system
as is. The GPL exploits the whole situation where original authors
hold the rights to derivative works.
> And you still haven't explained why you think I should not have the
> right to license my own software under the GPL.
Never said that. What I did say is the viral nature of the GPL is what
I take exception to. "Freedom" that is forced is not freedom.
> Perhaps it would help my understanding of your position if you could
> answer this question: Is the software license that Apple uses for iTunes
> more or less evil than the GPL?
Both licenses have their issues. The difference I see, though, is that
Apple doesn't attempt to mislabel its software as being "free". At the
same time, I'm none to keen about not being able to inspect the code
that is going to run on my machine if I want/need to do it (in Apple's
case).
J
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Received on 12/14/08
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