Return to BSD News archive
Xref: sserve comp.os.linux:35599 comp.os.386bsd.questions:1893 gnu.misc.discuss:8718 Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!constellation!convex!convex!darwin.sura.net!emory!nigel.msen.com!caen!usenet.cis.ufl.edu!usenet.ufl.edu!zoyd!kem From: kem@zoyd.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Kelly Murray) Newsgroups: comp.os.linux,comp.os.386bsd.questions,gnu.misc.discuss Subject: Re: GNUified Linux vs FREE 386BSD Date: 21 Apr 1993 21:05:58 GMT Organization: University of Florida Lines: 35 Sender: kem@zoyd (Kelly Murray) Distribution: world Message-ID: <1r4cvmINNlr9@no-names.nerdc.ufl.edu> References: <1993Apr15.225354.18654@samba.oit.unc.edu> <C5sLq7.5LI@stroberg.uucp> NNTP-Posting-Host: zoyd.prl.ufl.edu In article <C5sLq7.5LI@stroberg.uucp>, pb@stroberg.uucp (Pete Bergstrom) writes: |> |> In article <1qus7eINNcib@no-names.nerdc.ufl.edu> kem@zoyd.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Kelly Murray) writes: |> |> Software that is ``really free'', that is, released without restrictions, |> provides benefits to EVERYBODY. Everybody includes people who create |> GNUified software, as well as those who create commercial software. |> |> As an aside, because GNUified software releases source code, it is easy |> to incorporate changes made to really-free programs back into the |> original code, as copyright does not cover cases where |> there is substantially no other way to do something, which |> would cover most bugfix-type changes. |> |> The problem is that not all people are willing to make their |> improvements available unless they're forced to do so by the terms of |> the original software. This may be true in the case of someone who |> wants to convert something from your "really free" into proprietary |> and sell it. |> |> Pete I would not agree this topic is stupid, but I would agree that it doesn't belong in comp.os.linux. I suggest any further discussion move to gnu.misc.discuss. In response to your point, few people will release their sources just because GNU `forces' them. If someone does not want to give away their work, they simply do not have the option to build upon GNU software. Thus, GNU software does not directly contribute to creating better commercial software, whereas really-free software does. I think the general reaction of GNUites is that this is a good thing. They don't acknowledge the benefits of proprietary, commercial software. -Kelly