Christoph Lohmann writes:
> Greetings.
>
> On Mon, 12 May 2014 22:02:57 +0200 "Anthony J. Bentley" <anthony_AT_cathet.us> w
> rote:
> > Christoph Lohmann writes:
> > > On Mon, 12 May 2014 18:18:37 +0200 FRIGN <dev_AT_frign.de> wrote:
> > > > Well, let's take a look at the GPL first: It's a strict free software
> > > > license, which means that it doesn't permit incorporating or even
> > > > linking a GPL-software without publishing the software itself under a
> > > > free software license and/or ship the software with the source-code
> > > > used.
> > > > We at suckless agreed that there should be the freedom for everyone to
> > > > use the software in proprietary software as well.
> > > > That's why the GPL is often considered harmful, as it inhibits the free
> > > > flow of knowledge and often leads to complete rewrites of software,
> > > > just because the authors are pissed off by it.
> >
> > Not just people who dislike it. Even GPL lovers have to rewrite their
> > software due to the GPL.
> >
> > Example: LibreCAD, a fork of QCad, which had been relicensed by the
> > authoring company under the GPLv2. LibreCAD wanted to support AutoCAD's
> > DWG file format. Unluckily for them, LibreDWG (a FSF project) is licensed
> > GPLv3+, and the FSF refused to relicense. The GPL made the code so free
> > they couldn't use it.
>
> At least this allows a viral spreading of the license. It could be the
> major factor for its survival strategy.
What allows the GPL to survive are the mindless legions who use it, taking
rms' words as gospel, who do not think critically about what software
freedom means.
If people would think critically, they would realize that a man who uses
and advocates nonfree licenses like the GFDL and CC NoDeriv is ideologically
inconsistent, and his 5000-word preferred license should not be trusted
without manual review.
OpenBSD has done more for freedom by releasing free software under free
licenses, developing and promoting patent-free protocols like CARP, and
reverse-engineering wireless drivers. As a philosophy, "shut up and hack"
is just better. And the advantage of a license that is as simple as:
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
is self-evident.
--
Anthony J. Bentley
Received on Mon May 12 2014 - 22:46:40 CEST