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Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!news.mel.connect.com.au!news.mel.aone.net.au!grumpy.fl.net.au!news.webspan.net!ix.netcom.com!howland.erols.net!newsxfer3.itd.umich.edu!portc01.blue.aol.com!newsstand.cit.cornell.edu!newstand.syr.edu!news.corpcomm.net!news From: Zach Heilig <zach@blizzard.gaffaneys.com> Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.networking,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.bsd.misc,comp.os.ms-windows.nt.advocacy,comp.os.os2.advocacy Subject: Re: Linux vs whatever Date: 29 Jan 1997 02:22:39 -0600 Organization: Corporate Communications Lines: 44 Sender: zach@murkwood.gaffaneys.com Message-ID: <87zpxs7uwg.fsf@murkwood.gaffaneys.com> References: <32DFFEAB.7704@usa.net> <m23evrulla.fsf@desk.crynwr.com> <32EA25AB.41C67EA6@freebsd.org> <5qC7y0gTzDLB091yn@ibm.net> <5ciraf$gs@cynic.portal.ca> <32EE0B70.1657@ml.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: dialup6.gaffaneys.com Mime-Version: 1.0 (generated by tm-edit 7.89) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Newsreader: Gnus v5.3/Emacs 19.34 Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.os.linux.misc:154852 comp.os.linux.networking:66482 comp.os.linux.setup:94389 comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc:5777 comp.unix.bsd.misc:2090 comp.os.ms-windows.nt.advocacy:51255 comp.os.os2.advocacy:264102 tethys <tethys@ml.com> writes: > > But the worst area affected is standards. Here's an example: it > > isn't possible for someone who had written a PC archiving program > > (such as PKZIP or ARJ) to plug in the Gnu code to do gzip compression, > > unless they're willing to give away all their other work. Had it > > been possible, there's a better chance that that gzip might have > > become a multi-platform standard. Instead, the FSF isolated gzip > > from becoming a real standard nearly as effectively as if they'd > > patented it. > How? By placing it under the GPL, they ensured it will be free for > anyone to use, and port to new platforms if desired. That's why there's > versions for MS-DOS and Amigas etc. The gzip file format is a published > RFC standard. Anyone is free to reimplement it as a non-GPLed piece > of code, should they be perverse enough to want to try. I think you are missing the point a bit... I can't see any prominent GPL license on zlib specifically (I looked through the web page, the header file, and strings on the lib file), but the point about the GPL still stands. The issue is not that some random stand-alone GPL program is encumbered. It is that any larger software I try to incorporate the GPL program into will become encumbered. I may currently be providing the source for my application, but I want to keep the option of revoking the source and selling it later (or not ...). Or, I may have accidentally (and unknowingly) violated one of those nasty software patents (I used 'XOR'[1] to blink the cursor or something... yes that is a patented idea last I heard). I hedge my bets a bit, and do not distribute the source, knowing the clueless company that holds any patents probably won't go to the trouble of investigating and finding out I re-invented their patent. [1] different topic... does this mean one software package I own that was distributed on a ROM dated and copyright (by Microsoft even) 10 years before the patent was issued... is now in violation of that patent since it uses 'XOR' to blink the cursor? -- Zach Heilig (zach@blizzard.gaffaneys.com) | ALL unsolicited commercial email Support bacteria -- it's the only | is unwelcome. I avoid dealing form of culture some people have! | with companies that email ads.