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Xref: sserve comp.os.linux:37802 comp.os.386bsd.questions:2259 Newsgroups: comp.os.linux,comp.os.386bsd.questions Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!news.Hawaii.Edu!ames!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!usc!cheshire.oxy.edu!opus From: opus@cheshire.oxy.edu (David Giller) Subject: Re: Summary of Linux vs. 386BSD vs. Commercial Unixes Message-ID: <1993May7.093247.28324@cheshire.oxy.edu> Organization: Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041 References: <9304299328@monty.apana.org.au> <1993May3.093155.10176@cheshire.oxy.edu> <C6L53r.K2L@sugar.neosoft.com> Date: Fri, 7 May 1993 09:32:47 GMT Lines: 40 peter@NeoSoft.com (Peter da Silva) wrote: >In article <1993May3.093155.10176@cheshire.oxy.edu> opus@cheshire.oxy.edu (David Giller) writes: >> But if they gave it away for FREE, including source, and insured that >> noone else charged for it, you'd take issue. > >Nope. > >You're missing the pont. This isn't about what you do with our code. It's >about what we do with our code. You can do anything you want with your code. If the FSF ftp'ed all the 386BSD source, packaged it in GNU fasion, and released it as 386GNU with the GPL lisence (which, by the way, is perfectly in accordance with the BSD lisence), they would in doing so have made NO restrictions on YOUR CODE. What they have done is made a deriative work. Now, if you enhance 386BSD and release a new version, they can take these changes, incorporate them into 386GNU, and release a NEW derivative work. But again, in doing so, they have done nothing to restrict 386BSD. Take another case which is more clear: the FSF takes the 386BSD source, as above, but makes changes to it so that, for example, it conforms to the SVID (not likely, but consider this example). They release this code (call it 386FSF) under the GPL. Again, this in NO WAY restricts the 386BSD code. It is a restriction on the derivative work, which means, in essence, that it is a restriction on THEIR WORK (their bug-fixes, their enhancements, and their modifications). What if someone wants to use the code in 386FSF without using the fixes, enhancements, etc. that the FSF made? Simple, just go get the original work, 386BSD. Why in the world would you think the GPL restricts your work? -Dave -- David Giller, Box 134 | Q: How many Oregonians does it take to screw in a light Occidental College | bulb? A: Three. One to replace the bulb, and two to 1600 Campus Road | fend off all the Californians trying to share the Los Angeles, CA 90041 | experience. -------------------------------opus@oxy.edu