On Mon, Sep 20, 2004 at 08:20:58AM -0400, Michael Poole wrote: > Andrew Suffield writes: > > > On Sun, Sep 19, 2004 at 10:38:51AM -0400, Michael Poole wrote: > > > Andrew Suffield writes: > > > > > > > On Sun, Sep 19, 2004 at 09:41:05AM -0400, Michael Poole wrote: > > > > > The former is objectionable -- and I think not free -- because the > > > > > author's alleged patent infringement need not be related to the > > > > > software. I am not sure why some people think the latter is > > > > > objectionable, since it is similar in spirit and effect to the GPL's > > > > > termination case > > > > > > > > I am not sure why some people think the latter is acceptable, since it > > > > is similar in spirit and effect to the MS EULA (which says that you > > > > can't do anything the copyright holder doesn't like). > > > > > > This is not true, and it does not approximate anything that is true. > > > > False. Go and read the MS EULA. > > You write as if there were only one. They're all mostly the same. > > > > Free software licenses give things to the licensee. Not the copyright > > > > holder. > > > > > > Under this line of argument, the GPL is non-free because it gives the > > > copyright holder a promise that the licensee will redistribute the > > > work (in original or modified form) in source code to anyone the > > > licensee gives a copy to. > > > > Also wrong, despite attempts at word games. The GPL gives all > > licensees access to the source, and nothing to the copyright holder > > (unless they coincidentally happen to be a licensee of a modified > > version). This is a necessary condition for it to be free; if it > > actually gave access to the source to the copyright holder then it > > would not be free. An example of a non-free license along these lines > > is the old NPL. > > You have yet to establish why this argument applies to the kind of > patent lawsuit clause in the Open Software License, since it protects > all licensees equally. You have yet to establish what your argument has got to do with the price of tea in China. -- .''`. ** Debian GNU/Linux ** | Andrew Suffield : :' : http://www.debian.org/ | `. `' | `- -><- |
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