Re: Re: Free software, proprietary software and Stalin

[Raj Mathur <raju@xxxxxxx>]

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

    Arun> On Wed, Mar 01, 2000 at 07:50:56AM +0530, Raj Mathur wrote:
    >> >>>>> "Arun" == Arun Sharma <adsharma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
    >> 
    Arun> [snip] I never called GPL brain dead or RMS an evil
    Arun> person. I've always maintained that GPL is impractical and a
    Arun> hinderance to progress.
    >> Heh, as we all know, Linux isn't the fastest-growing server OS
    >> shipped in 1999 and no one uses GNU CC or Emacs :-) *BSD OTOH
    >> has been making waves with its wide acceptance in the corporate
    >> world and announced support base from companies like IBM and
    >> SGI.  ``Impractical and a hinderance to progress''!

    Arun> I don't accept that argument. Windows would be superior to
    Arun> both Linux and BSD going by that criterion. IBM and SGI
    Arun> would do, by definition, what suits their share holder's
    Arun> interests - which is making more money.

I doubt if a technology which is impractical and a hindrance to
progress would be adopted by both large corporations and individuals
to help them achieve their goals.  I call your use of that phrase FUD.
While you're right in stating that calling something FUD is easy, it's
also easy to label technologies and movements with any adjectives of
your choice, even if the rest of the world seems to be seeing
something different.

MS succeeded because of two reasons: lack of choice and heavy,
sometimes unethical marketing.  GNU is all about choice and has close
to zero marketing, none of which is unethical.  I completely fail to
see either a relationship between the two or the relevance of your
phrase to a project which has succeeded wildly.

Regards,

-- Raju

    >> Try looking around you sometime, Arun.  If you or some people
    >> on the web prefer the BSD license, please go ahead and use it.
    >> Don't try to use FUD to debunk the GPL -- you'll lose.

    Arun> Calling something FUD comes easy. I have presented rational
    Arun> arguments on why BSD license should be used. It's not so
    Arun> much directed at converting you or Manoj. It is aimed at
    Arun> convincing other readers of the list/archive, who will be
    Arun> writing free software.

    Arun> Note that I have not argued that everything that *BSD did is
    Arun> right. There were a lot of wrongs done, which Linux
    Arun> corrected.