*BSD News Article 14750


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From: jemenake@trumpet.calpoly.edu (Joe Emenaker)
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux,comp.os.386bsd.questions
Subject: Re: GNUified Linux vs FREE 386BSD
Message-ID: <1993Apr20.111725.183471@zeus.calpoly.edu>
Date: 20 Apr 93 11:17:25 GMT
References: <1993Apr15.225354.18654@samba.oit.unc.edu> <1993Apr17.190517.4276@serval.net.wsu.edu> <1993Apr17.205715.11278@coe.montana.edu> <1qus7eINNcib@no-names.nerdc.ufl.edu>
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Organization: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
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kem@zoyd.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Kelly Murray) writes:
>A big part of GNUism is to prevent people from taking unrestricted-copyright
>programs, and creating restricted-copyright or proprietary programs. 
>It is ironic that GNUites are violating their own philosophy by converting
>unrestricted software into restricted software. 

Well, I think of it as akin to our rights as American citizens: There is
a certain set of restrictions that must be placed upon my freedom to
ensure that I can't restrict OTHERS' freedoms. For example, I am
prohibited from shooting you in the head, because that would infringe
upon your right NOT to be shot in the head.

On the same token, the GPL places just enough restriction to ensure that
nobody can place any MORE restrictions. It ensures that each recipient
of GNUish software will pass on the same privledges and rights that were
afforded to THEM. Isn't that fair?

You have to impose SOME set of rule to ensure fairness.... just like
there must be SOME set of laws to ensure freedom.
-- 
Joe Emenaker - Sexual Engineer | Our infernal mailer daemon has been quite
   jemenake@nike.calpoly.edu   | insitent that  my signature be limited to just
   ..or.. @bslab65.calpoly.edu | 4 lines. However, as you can see, I have
   ..or.. @cash.calpoly.edu    | figured out an elegant way to put as many as