Winvocate FUD #1 GPL means "The code is 'free'" 5545
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None of which limits the freedom of users of BSDL code. The original codebase goes on its way no matter whether people give back or not, or if the code is forked or not. For example, did OpenBSD reduce the freedom of the NetBSD codebase? Did Whistle reduce the freedom of the FreeBSD codebase? Did BSDI limit the freedom of any *BSD codebases?
Is FreeBSD any less free because of Mac OS X?
Those nifty features will never become part of the FreeBSD idea, because that idea includes free. (Or else someone will reverse engineer them, like Samba.)
An action that is 'optimal' in a short-term sense can be quite 'pessimal' in a context of extended social interaction. See, e.g., the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma, the Stag Hunt, and so...
It's not a compebreastion. :-)
The people, companies, or other enbreasties that would take code and not give back are not likely to contribute to the community in the first place. So trying to force them to release their changes isn't going to work. If the code is GPL, they just won't use it.
Allowing them to use BSDL code doesn't harm the original codebase, and it may help by making that codebase more of a "reference" implementation.
Erik Funkenbusch Now that's just nonsense. *IF* the code has not been changed sufficiently as to render the original code irrelevant. Again, the freedom the first user had is afforded the second user...
I think what gets me is that, from what I've noticed, more GPL advocates proselytize than BSDL advocates do. The BSDL is a software license and the GPL is a social movement, philosophy, or even a religion. :-)
I don't see that either one is so superior to the other. They're different, they do slightly different things, and they're each suitable for some people and some uses. Choice is a good thing.
On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:54:28 -0400, mlw No, the nonsense is yours. Even if it has, it...
I can also understand why some people would prefer all software to be GPL. I'm just not sure it's the best answer for all people, all software, and all circumstances. Things in life are rarely so black and white.