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Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!news.Hawaii.Edu!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!usc!not-for-mail From: merlin@neuro.usc.edu (merlin) Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.misc Subject: Re: So you say you want an interim release of 386bsd? (What to do?) Date: 17 May 1993 22:36:03 -0700 Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA Lines: 27 Sender: merlin@neuro.usc.edu Message-ID: <1t9sk3$qs8@neuro.usc.edu> References: <C6M5J0.AIq@sugar.neosoft.com> <C6oF5x.9or@megatest.com> <DERAADT.93May9022112@newt.fsa.ca> NNTP-Posting-Host: neuro.usc.edu Many years ago, perhaps long before most of us came into this world, scientists "stood on each others' shoulders" by using earlier results and techniques to generate new knowledge. Today, with the application of patents to every minor (primarily genetic engineering) development, it seems as though many scientists want to own (and collect rent from) every step of the ladder upon which future scientists must base their work. The GPL constitutes one such form of ownership interest -- the rent for which must be paid by agreeing to redistribute source code -- some people are willing to do this -- others are afraid integration of GPL source code into their own work will contaminate their own efforts. I tend to use GPL code (i.e. gcc) as a tool to develop other more freely distributable code. But I would be hard pressed to integrate GPL code into my own efforts. I think we would all be far better off if commonly used software development tools and operating system source codes were public domain rather than GPL derived. The 386BSD & NetBSD efforts must be applauded for adhering to a more freely redistributable philosophy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alexander-James Annala Principal Investigator Neuroscience Image Analysis Network HEDCO Neuroscience Building, Fifth Floor University of Southern California University Park Los Angeles, CA 90089-2520 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------