Re: GNU License and Computer Break Ins
On Fri, 19 May 2000, Paul Serice wrote:
> 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.
You're doing it to. RMS's feelings on software freedom can be disagreed
with and even opposed without being hostile to the GPL.
>> Your above sentiments show you openly hostile to free
>> software in general.
Wow, I must have missed that message. Opposition to "all software
is/should be free" is different than opposition to "free software is
good".
> 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.
Yes, GPL and Debian both have freedom as their goal, rather than
education. They're not incompatible, but it is an important distinction.
Of course, I'd hope that a cursory reading of almost ANY free software
license would reveal that they spend a lot more energy keeping future
versions freely available rather than it would take just to make source
available for educational purposes.
> 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.
Access to source is not enough for freedom, though it may be for
education. For me, it's about making sure the individuals in the
community are not tricked/forced into installing, learning, using, and
depending on on a software that can be taken away or left to rot by an
author.
It's important to me to have software that I can trust (because I can
examine it, fix it if it breaks, and install without hassle on new
hardware) than about learning how it works (though it's a nice bonus).
Even if I didn't do it myself, knowing there are many independent people
who can fix things if needed is a HUGE deal.
Would you buy a car if it were ILLEGAL for anyone but the podunk company
who sold it to you to open the hood? Why do you think software should be
that way?
How'd this soapbox get under my feet? Sorry.
> 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?
Of course not, any more than a doctor who prefers to get paid for his
normal practice must not volunteer at a clinic.
> 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?
Nope - we're happy to have your help, with the proviso that you don't try
to sneak non-free-but-educational materials past us. Actually, we even
have a spot for those! :)
--
Mark Rafn dagon@dagon.net <http://www.dagon.net/> !G
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