Re: [dwm] Freedom (was: Re: sic ipv6 patch)

On Mon, May 19, 2008 at 4:54 PM, Matthias Kirschner <mk_AT_fsfe.org> wrote:
> I had university seminars about the term "freedom",

Your lack of clarity on relevant concepts is not grounds for an ethos.

Freedom is an absence of restrictions. The GPL implements
restrictions; therefore, it lessens freedom. Your disagreement with
the societal consequences of that restriction does not affect the fact
that the GPL uses the force of copyright law to tell people what may
not be done with the code.

I support the GPL, but it limits a person's freedom to use the code.
Period. With dwm's current license, I can embed the window manager in
a closed-source binary if I so choose. With the GPL, I cannot. That
is a restriction, and it inhibits freedom. I don't see how this can
be confusing or even debatable. For more information on the fallacy
upon which your argument is based, read more about the "fallacy of
consequence." [1]

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_consequences

-- 
# Kurt H Maier