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Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!lucy.swin.edu.au!news.rmit.EDU.AU!news.unimelb.EDU.AU!munnari.OZ.AU!news.mel.connect.com.au!news.syd.connect.com.au!phaedrus.kralizec.net.au!news.mel.aone.net.au!grumpy.fl.net.au!news.webspan.net!ix.netcom.com!netnews.com!howland.erols.net!cam-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.sprintlink.net!news-peer.sprintlink.net!news-pull.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!news-dc-9.sprintlink.net!nwne ws.wa.com!brokaw.wa.com!dogbert.sitewerks.com!eric From: Eric Hoeltzel <eric@dogbert.sitewerks.com> Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.bsd.misc,comp.os.ms-windows.nt.advocacy,comp.os.os2.advocacy Subject: Re: Linux vs whatever Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 11:13:40 -0800 Organization: Northwest Nexus Inc. Lines: 56 Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.93.970130105508.3513B-100000@dogbert.sitewerks.com> References: <32DFFEAB.7704@usa.net> <32EE0B70.1657@ml.com> <5claa2$jq1@cynic.portal.ca> <32f342b7.11963784@uns.bris.ac.uk> <5cnqsl$78o@cynic.portal.ca> <32EFDF58.41C67EA6@freebsd.org> NNTP-Posting-Host: dogbert.sitewerks.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII To: "John S. Dyson" <dyson@freebsd.org> In-Reply-To: <32EFDF58.41C67EA6@freebsd.org> Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.os.linux.misc:155231 comp.os.linux.setup:94678 comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc:5807 comp.unix.bsd.misc:2146 comp.os.ms-windows.nt.advocacy:51421 comp.os.os2.advocacy:264504 On Wed, 29 Jan 1997, John S. Dyson wrote: > Curt Sampson wrote: > > > > In article <32f342b7.11963784@uns.bris.ac.uk>, > > Alex Butcher <Alex.Butcher.DELETE.THIS@bris.ac.uk> wrote: > > > > >Er... WinZip /DOES/ do gzip format files. I can even browse .tgz files > > >here. > > > > It does now, but it doesn't do it with the original, GPL'd code, > > does it? All this means is that either the original author spent > > time rewriting code that was already written, rather than spending > > that time on other features, or someone else out there re-wrote > > the GPL'd code, rather than contributing new free software to the > > world. (In fact, the latter is the case with NetBSD; we're right > > now wasting time writing a front end for the free zlib so that we > > can have a free gzip instead of an encumbered one. This is time > > that would otherwise be spent writing other free software.) > > > This brings up another issue about applying GPL to ones own > code that has been subsequently redistributed. Lots of > mods will be made to the code (and the owners of the mods > will perpetuate the GPL restrictions, of course.) When > one wants to apply their code with the GPLed mods to a > *proprietary* project -- the original owner will have > to reinvent the GPLed mods... But how does one do that? > If the original owner has seen the mods, the possibility > taint (seeing the GPLed mods) rears it's ugly head. > > John I am glad that the GPL gives you hassles, John. GPL is not designed to further the goals of proprietary, commercial software which has no lasting value. Proprietary, commercial software benefits only the developer and the users only in the very short term. I am sure it is quite possible for the modifiers of a GPL package to make their mods available under a BSDish license or even public domain if they so choose. If they do not, it is their perogative and they have done so for a reason. I am quite glad that the GPL exists, because I can now run very capable systems that run no commercial code whatsoever. Anything I write for these systems will most certainly be GPL'ed, just to keep the guys like you with commercial interests out of my code. That way I benefit everyone, (you included) and prevent commercial people from restricting everyone else's rights. I may not get rich but it is the Right Thing To Do. I would certaintly not want to be Bill Gates. Eric