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Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!munnari.OZ.AU!news.ecn.uoknor.edu!news.ysu.edu!news.radio.cz!voskovec.radio.cz!news.radio.cz!CESspool!hammer.uoregon.edu!hunter.premier.net!feed1.news.erols.com!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!newsxfer3.itd.umich.edu!chi-news.cic.net!news.synet.net!imdave From: imdave@synet.net (Dave Bodenstab) Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.networking,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.unix.bsd.misc,comp.os.ms-windows.nt.advocacy,comp.os.os2.advocacy Subject: Re: GPL (was: Linux vs whatever) Date: 30 Jan 1997 21:39:24 GMT Organization: Dave Bodenstab's home machine Lines: 43 Message-ID: <5cr4ec$ihq@garuda.synet.net> References: <32DFFEAB.7704@usa.net> <5cl66d$l52@web.nmti.com> <5cmiuu$iud@garuda.synet.net> <5cokgi$alm@web.nmti.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: dial44.synet.net Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.os.linux.misc:155240 comp.os.linux.networking:66725 comp.os.linux.setup:94684 comp.unix.bsd.misc:2149 comp.os.ms-windows.nt.advocacy:51425 comp.os.os2.advocacy:264510 In article <5cokgi$alm@web.nmti.com>, Peter da Silva <peter@nmti.com> wrote: >In article <5cmiuu$iud@garuda.synet.net>, >Dave Bodenstab <imdave@synet.net> wrote: >> If they choose 'a', then why isn't it reasonable that they adhere to >> any conditions imposed by the authors of the works that forms the >> basis of the new work? > >It is, of course, reasonable for them to do that. > >> If they don't like this, it is possible to >> negotiate separate terms with the original authors! > >And it is, of course, reasonable for them to do that. > >This doesn't address the question at hand, though, which is whether the GPL >is a "good thing" in a public policy sense, either in intent (that's the >Loyal Rebel Programmers versus the Evil Software Hoarders issue), or practice >(that's the Does the BSD Copyright or the GPL work better in practice for >promoting the unimpeded use of software). >-- I've not followed this entire thread in excruciating detail, but if I were asked to characterize the subject being discussed, I would summarize it as "people whining about not being able to use someone else's work to make a buck for themselves." Of course, this is the impression *I've* gotten. The question of "whether the GPL is a good thing" -- that is, indeed, a much more interesting, and perhaps, useful topic to discuss. However, I've seen very few postings that attempt to address this issue. In my opinion, it's too early to tell if the GPL is good, bad, or accomplished RMS's objectives. I've never heard Mr. Stallman speak -- I hope I have the opportunity some day -- but my guess is that the GPL has come close to the goals he had in mind. It's a philosophical issue, and how that philosophy meshes with the real world and human nature is certainly interesting. Regards, Dave Bodenstab