[Linux-aus] linux-aus Digest, Vol 12, Issue 4

[David Lloyd]

James,

> David Lloyd > May I suggest a reason why the free software community
> dislike non-free licenses?

You may...

> Because they cheat users! They cheat us, we
> provide each other with the 4 basic freedoms of the GNU GPL. Non-free
> licenses remove freedoms.

The GNU GPL promotes the Free Software Foundation's definition of 
freedom. I take a different point of view to freedom than the FSF, 
specifically:

"If I use your code and redistribute it, then I should give you back any 
modifications to it that I have made, including any modifications I have 
made to make it work with my code. I may only compel you to pay what it 
costs to give you back the code I changed, i.e. cost of media.

However, if my code relies on your code but it is not based on your 
code, then if you compel me to license my code under your license, 
you're taking away one of my freedoms."

That's very much what the Mozilla Public License, Apache License and 
CDDL say in various ways.

> So let me close with a question to you: Why shouldn't we fight for our
> freedom? www.gnu.org

Because I don't believe their definition of freedom is achievable in any 
reasonable time frame and I don't wholeheartedly agree with their 
definition of freedom.

Remember: GPL *does not* equal the free software community! The GPL is 
promoted by the FSF but the FSF is not the free software community either...

> Once again, thanks to everyone else. I do intend to do something about
> this. I'm certainly not happy with the reply I received.
> I'll be printing some posters hopefully this weekend.

It's ironic that you do not thank me; perhaps it's because I don't agree 
entirely with you?

DSL