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Path: sserve!manuel!munnari.oz.au!mips!mips!sdd.hp.com!usc!news From: merlin@neuro.usc.edu (merlin) Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd Subject: Re: Restrictions on 'free' UNIX / 386BSD (Re: selling 386BSD) Date: 14 Aug 1992 18:44:16 -0700 Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA Lines: 37 Sender: merlin@neuro.usc.edu (merlin) Message-ID: <l8oobgINN47m@neuro.usc.edu> References: <x> <l8n8qcINN2c5@neuro.usc.edu> <1992Aug14.205511.15778@craycos.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: neuro.usc.edu In article <...> jrbd@craycos.com (James Davies) writes: >Excuse my ignorance, but doesn't 386BSD use gcc? Sounds like it's already >contaminated beyond all hope of redemption... You are of course not ignorant -- nor is anyone else I have met on the net -- gcc is an isolatable special case component clearly identified as a special case in the distribution -- it is not a simple driver -- nor is it a major patch -- moreover no fee is required of anyone redistributing gcc -- nor does the gnu organization require specific permission for redistribution. There exist portions of the gnu license to which I object -- but since I am at all concerned about doing my own compiler development the restrictions have very little impact on me. This is very different from vague intellectual property claims (where no one knows the terms for free redistribution) or the specific restriction (every penny of any payments to jolitz [without even a reduction to cover media, machine time, or personnel time expended in the duplication]). Moreover, gcc could be stripped out without affecting many end user sites -- they just have to acquire compatible adaptors and put them at good addresses. Including gcc in the present distribution doesn't make much difference -- but a whole slew of cgd type copyrights and restrictions would be unmanagable. For the record, I received a note from Bill Jolitz indicating (1) cgd should not be singled out for criticism [I agree -- his was only a convenient case] and (2) my point was right on the mark -- this is why Jolitz continued the minimal requirements of the UC Regents distribution. The net may not be at all ready for this concept -- 'freely redistributable software' -- but there are forward looking people like Jolitz who perceive the folly of inhibitory and/or confusing ad hoc collections of miscellanous copyright claims. Merlin The Magician King Arthur's Court Camelot