Re: Re: Free software, proprietary software and Stalin

[Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@xxxxxxx>]

>>"Arun" == Arun Sharma <adsharma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

 Arun> Then you stop using Apache, Perl, TCP/IP, PPP, Adaptec cards in Linux
 Arun> and Microsoft windows because they don't use the GNU license.

        This is highly illogical. You said you had a problem with the
 GNU philosophy. We never said we had a problem using DFSG code.. And
 our philosophy is what determines the licence I issue my code under. 

        I still use proprietary software -- I would prefer not to have
 to. But I am not going to be childish about it.

 Arun> This is exactly the problem with the GNU license and the GPL
 Arun> mindset - inability to coexist with other free software
 Arun> thoughts.

        Oh, I coexist with whatever is legal, And this coexist thing
 is specious anyway -- the GPL is no less amenable to use than eny
 other -- for the free software community. 

        Yes, the GPL is quite unfriendly to people who leech on to and
 try to horad other peoples software. Note you can makle changes to
 and charge for software -- you can't just make it proprietary.

        I like that. I hate people making money off other peoples work.

 Arun> Note that I don't resent the implications of the GNU license. I
 Arun> just think that the goals that it's trying to achieve have been
 Arun> historically proven to be unachievable because of human
 Arun> tendencies.

        I think you are wrong. The conditions have never been as
 favourable for free software as they are now -- and
 non-software history is inapplicable here. 

        And that is the explanation for the restrictions in the GPL --
 it prevents the leeches and the piler ons from destroying and
 overwhelming the fledgling community.

 Arun> By being adamant on being the only kind of free software (by
 Arun> not mixing with other, arguably "more free" software), it is
 Arun> hindering progress.

        I would rather think liog term. In the short term, opening
 things out and not protecting software may mean more 

 Arun> I think GPL is impractical in its goals. I "use" (but don't try too
 Arun> hard to extend) GPL'ed products for practical reasons.

        I find that gcc, emacs, bison, et al to be practical enough to
 convince me.


        manoj
-- 
 genius, n.: Person clever enough to be born in the right place at the
 right time of the right sex and to follow up this advantage by saying
 all the right things to all the right people.
Manoj Srivastava   <srivasta@xxxxxxxxxx>  <http://www.debian.org/%7Esrivasta/>
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