Re: Hurd Advocacy?
On Tue, Aug 19, 2003 at 10:06:15AM +0100, Dave wrote:
> > OK, I think I can comment here, as I'm someone that's used Linux for years
> > and has periodically looked into Hurd.
> >
> > Here are major concerns from this end:
> [snip]
>
> I only have one thing to add, and that's that the Hurd needs a lawsuit from SCO.
>
> ;)
Actually, this is an interesting point, as the FSF has long warned that the
copyright situation of Linux is so that it is difficult to defend the Linux
source code in court. This is why the FSF is so careful about requiering
copyright assignments and proper changelogs in the GNU project.
Chance is that no company would ever dare to claim that GNU code was taken
from them without a license unless it is really true, and in that case it
can be tracked down to the person who did that. This is also true for the
GNU Hurd.
SCO has realized that this is not true for Linux, and thus saw a chance to
take advantage of it. I think that SCO has correctly identified one of the
main weaknesses of Linux, and it should be a warning to any high profile
free software project.
Note also that the problem here is not the GPL, it is the lack of code
maintenance (proper history records) and copyright assignments. The GPL has
been defended successfully in the past (and that this has not happened in
a court, but outside of it, is a further prove that it is a strong license).
It has even been defended for the Linux source code, but in such cases the
origin of the Linux source code was not disputed, only the consequences for
a mix of Linux code and proprietary code.
I would still not want to be sued by SCO. It's a big hassle, and even the
threat of such a suit can be an effective tool to get a better deal in
negotiations. You have to choose your fights carefully.
Thanks,
Marcus
--
`Rhubarb is no Egyptian god.' GNU http://www.gnu.org marcus@gnu.org
Marcus Brinkmann The Hurd http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/
Marcus.Brinkmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
http://www.marcus-brinkmann.de/
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