Re: Netscape license
On Sat, 7 Mar 1998, Scott McDermott wrote:
> Greg Stark <gsstark@mit.edu> on Sat, Mar 07, 1998 at 05:16:57AM -0500:
> > > "...code covered by the GPL is inherently tainting (almost all software
> > > that uses it must also be covered by the GPL)" It might be said that
> > > the GPL is so antithetical as to be mere fanaticism.
> >
> > Antithetical to what? Encouraging free software? I think not.
>
> You're right, that was perhaps poorly worded. What I meant was, that
> the GPL attempts to be the antithesis of *non*-free software. In the
> process it becomes an extreme implementation and largely fanatical.
> Thus, problems with full adaptation...it locks you in by basically
> requiring that everything that uses GPLed software, is also GPLed.
> While this may be a good theory, it's not very well thought out and will
> in the long run discourage its adaptation from paradigms not currently
> using it. Hence, NPL -- although there are of course special
> considerations in this case.
The reason given for this at the www page is that there is code in the
Communicator that is also used in their commercial web server. They say
that, if the release this code under GPL, the web werver would also have
to be GPL'ed. But this is not true! If Netscape[1] is the original author
of the code, they can put any license on it they want. They can distribute
it under GPL and also use it in any program that has any other license,
including commercial. Nobody could force them in any way to give away the
code of the web server, because they are the authors of the code[2]. The
only drawback of GPL is, that Netscape would not be able to use code
*submitted by others* in the web server. But isn't that exactly why the
GPL was invented?
Bruce, have you made this point clear to whoever is deciding on what the
license will be? Or am I talking nonsense here? Note that I am not a
lawyer or any other kind of license expert.
Remco
[1] "Netscape" in this text means the company, not the product
[2] Only the copyright holder can sue you if you violate the license
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