Re: software licensing

["Derek B. Noonburg" <derekn@aimnet.com>]

"Stephen J. Carpenter" <sjc@delphi.com>:

> I will agree...if the modifications they make are worthwile to others, or
> important bug fixes, it is certainly bad form, even sometimes
> downright rude to not let people know and hav ethe source but...
> if they don't distribute it outside of their own company...I can't
> see how they are "Wrong" to do it.

My fundamental belief is this: If I create a piece of software, I have
the right to determine who can distribute it (and modified versions of
it), and under what conditions they can distribute it.  If someone
violates my conditions, that's wrong.  If you don't like my conditions,
you obviously have the right to not distribute my software.

On the other hand, I believe there are some conditions which are a Bad
Idea -- ranging from silly to annoying to just plain dumb.  But I still
think that software authors have the right to place these kind of
conditions on their software if they want to.

I'm going to spend some more time thinking about how to rephrase my
license (again).

- Derek