Re: Poll results: User views on the FDL issue
Olive wrote:
The preamble of the GPL is totally similar to an invariant section: it
express political opnion (and nothing or few about the licence itself)
and cannot be changed nor removed. The advertising close of the old BSD
license is free (by rule nr 10 of the social contract) and cannot be
modified nor removed.
Exacty right, that really hits the nail on the head.
I admit that some other people might have different opinions as me, but
I would be happy to see what they answer to my arguments.
I can guess. It's too bad the poll didn't include some questions about
the GPL to allow any kind of corrolations between views on the two licenses.
There is a strong undercurrent in the free software movement, including
the anti-GPL crowd, that resists all restrictions and labels them as
non-free. Unfortunately, these same people seem not to reject the "IP"
law which the GPL helps to counterbalance. (By using "IP" law against
itself, the GPL cancels out some of its more sinister effects.)
Invariant sections are perfect example of a restriction that enhances
the rights of the author (copyright holder) at the expense of the end
user, but does so in a way that promotes sharing of information as
opposed to "hoarding." I don't see much difference in principle between
that and some of the effects of the GPL, so I don't see how you can call
the FDL "non-free" without some degree of antipathy towards the GPL
(and the FSF philosophy in general).
Personally I suspect that a lot of coders with too much time on their
hands should get back to releasing sarge, and let the OSI take care of
the politics.
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