Re: Re: Free software, proprietary software and Stalin

[Arun Sharma <adsharma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, Feb 29, 2000 at 01:51:37PM -0600, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
> >>"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. 

GNU project does have a problem with the BSD license. Read RMS's article
on this on gnu.org. And BSD license is DFSG compliant.

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

Similarly, I still use GNU software, but I prefer not to have to. And
I'm not going to comment on whether you're grown up or not.

>  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.
>

Your ideas are based on hatred. That's the problem.
 
[ snip lecture about leeches etc ]

> 
>  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.

Ever tried using gcc on Alpha ?

	-Arun