RE: Simputer team interview

["Arun Sharma" <arun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 
> On Wed, 25 Apr 2001, Arun Sharma wrote:
> 
>  |>     Arun> GPL is a discriminatory license - it discriminates against
>  |>     Arun> those who write closed source software for a living.
>  |> 
>  |> Even worse, copyright is discriminatory since it discriminates against
>  |> those who pirate movies for a living! 
>  |
>  |Pirates didn't pay to make the movie. In this case, the tax payer, who
>  |also happens to be a closed source programmer, paid his taxes.
> 
> So can I say that pedestrians are discriminating against me.. coz I paid
> Road Tax .. but they didn't and yet they get to use the roads for free!!
>

Discussing tax law in India is beyond the scope of the list, but the principle
is simple: if you paid taxes, you get to use the road. If someone who did not
pay taxes is using the road and is causing inconvenience to you, talk to your
local MLA/MP into amending the tax law.
 
> Are you saying that open source programmers don't pay taxes ?? and who is
> being discriminated against ?? (The govt. that is losing tax revenue ??)

Open source programmers paid taxes too and a public domain license gives
them the same rights as it gives to closed source programmers. GPL does
not give some people some rights. Public domain gives all rights to everyone.

	-Arun