Re: GNU License and Computer Break Ins
Joseph Carter wrote:
>
> Let me understand this... You are a Debian developer?
>
> And you have openly hostile feelings for the GPL, as evidenced by
> this thread. Your above sentiments show you openly hostile to free
> software in general. If you have these opinions, why the hell did
> you become a Debian developer in the first place?
Yes, that is a good question, and it explains why I have been at this so
long. I'm trying to understand this GPL thing to see if I can stay a
Debian developer in good conscience. I apologize that I started this
thread so poorly -- not that I knew in advance that it would lead here.
I decided to join Debian because I thought free software was more about
education than anything else. It was rare for me to read someone else's
source code without learning something substantial. So, I thought it
was nice that people I didn't even know would freely contribute to my
education, and when I reached a decent level of proficiency, I wanted to
give back.
So, I joined Debian and packaged a couple of things and added a couple
of supporting utilities. Minor stuff in general but especially minor
compared to everything else Debian does. Still, it was one more finger
in the dam.
Then I wake up one day to learn that GPL isn't what I thought it was.
Well, its social reach extended further than I thought it did. It seems
to be about making sure that the community immediately has access to the
source code to the exclusion of almost any other consideration.
If I believe it is perfectly fine for software authors to keep their
software locked up if that's what they choose to do, does that mean I
should not be a Debian developer? Must not be a Debian developer?
Does it matter that I personally believe that giving out source -- if
that is what the author chooses to do -- is a good thing because it
furthers education?
Paul Serice
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