Re: Re: FRR package in Debian violates the GPL licence
On 21/03/2019, Julian Andres Klode <jak@debian.org> wrote:
> I'm not sure why you are supporting Oracle's position, but consider
> the impact on the computing world of that position, and what trouble
> it causes if it wins.
I can't answer for Paul, and I really don't care about neither Oracle or Google.
But there is a huge difference between reimplementing a standard
interface like POSIX and depending on a creative work that is
original. Whenever a standard exists, anything that implement it, even
partially, is NOT subject to this issue.
And in the long run, throwing away the complexity of supporting old
proprietary formats that not even the original vendor actually support
anymore could improve the quality of the Free Software as a whole.
The WINE / ReactOS cases are unfortunate.
But in the long run, not being able to copy proprietary code might
greatly improve the innovation in Free Software while keeping such
innovation under Commons (with a strong copyleft, possibly with a
wider reach of AGPL), might invert the power dynamics between
independent innovative hackers and large corporations.
Don't forget that we are not in 1999 anymore.
Lots corporate code is "open source": OSS has become a fundamental
tool to gain market share and user trust.
On the other hand, if I donate original code to everybody, I don't
want it to be Embraced, Extended and Extinguished by any organization.
Informatics is still at a very early stage of its development.
As primitive as it is, most of proprietary software is crap and we all
know this despite trained to ignore its glitches "because worse is
better".
The future might be Free Software if no one could actually close it in any way.
Giacomo
Reply to: