Re: Do Debian's users care about the AGPL?
On Wed, Sep 03, 2008 at 04:52:57PM -0700, Steve Lamb wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 03, 2008 at 05:23:06PM -0600, Chris Burkhardt wrote:
> > Yes, that's the spirit of Free software that the GPL and AGPL tries to
> > enforce.
>
> AGPL, yes, which is where it oversteps the bounds. The GPL no. If the
> GPL did it there would be no need for the AGPL. And sorry, but when I program
> a custom application on my machine for my use and you, in visiting my home sit
> down and use that application on my computer does not mean you're a user of
> it. My machine, my application, my code, not distributed, period. The moment
> that distinction is lost is the moment my code will probably migrate to a
> "less free" license because it is running roughshod over my freedoms as a
> developer.
but you see, that's exactly the point -- nobody's forcing you to
reveal your software or license it to others in any particular way
when it actually is your code. license-tainting is about when you
incorporate someone else's code -- someone who wanted to let you
use it, but wanted to impose some restrictions. if you don't like
the restrictions, then don't use their code. in that way, AGPL is
just like GPL or any other license with restrictions.
> Correct. The person sitting down in front of the slot machine isn't a
> user of the software. They are a user of the service. The user of the
> software is the casino. The vendor in this case is the manufacturer of the
> slot machine. If you're advocating that the casino should have the source to
> the machine then I'd agree with you (even if most gaming boards probably would
> not since such software has to be certified as tamper proof).
it doesn't matter what you think the definition of a user should
be -- what matters is what the person who wrote the code believes.
if they only want you to use their code on the condition that you
show every user of any service built on it the full source code
then that's the condition of the license and, barring a dramatic
change in copyright law, those are the only conditions under which
you can use it.
Anyway, i am not a lawyer, just a software enthusiast,
--Rob
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