Re: GNU License and Computer Break Ins
Paul Serice <serice@bigfoot.com> writes:
> But this is not what GPL is about . . . apparently. Apparently, even if
> the original author wants his or her work used in a certain non-GPL-ed
> way, it doesn't matter. The moral thing to do is to disregard the
> wishes of the author and to copy it anyway -- even in violation of laws
> of a democratic nation.
Sometimes the laws of a democratic nation are corrupt and may be
disobeyed. It's called civil disobedience. I suggest you read up on
the subject. Not all laws are just. You and I might disagree with
RMS about whether this is a corrupt law, but that's not the point.
> In Orwell's _1984_, there is a discussion about how things get named
> with the exact opposite of what they mean. For example, the "People's
> Newspaer" or the "Freedom Ministry." I have to think that I should
> start thinking "free" as in 1984, not as in beer and certainly not as in
> freedom to choose how your work is used. Sigh.
Indeed. There are people out there who think that "freedom" consists
in things like getting to demand what other poeple do on their
computers. They actually think that they should be "free" to restrict
the liberty of other people. I know, it's quite a shame, but they do
twist words that way.
You and I, of course, recognize that we must resist this, right? When
someone under the pretense of "author's rights" tries to take away our
liberty to copy, we should resist them.
Thomas
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