Copyright and License

[Bernhard Reiter]

In article <slrn8hhoal.5kj.adsharma at c62443-a.frmt1.sfba.home.com>,
	adsharma at sharmas.dhs.org.nospam (Arun Sharma) writes:
> On 9 May 2000 12:14:04 GMT, Bernhard Reiter <breiter at usf.Uni-Osnabrueck.DE> wrote:
>> [For using the BSD license.]
>> > There's no danger that you'll get ripped off in a serious way.  
>> > GNU is pushing a particular ideology for software, but short of
>> > that most everyone just wants to avoid getting sued.  
>> 
>> This sentences are flawed. If you do not use a strong Free Software
>> license other Companies might lock up your code and make money from 
>> your work.
> 
> No one can lock up my code. Big companies lock up *their* code. They'll
> just be mixing it with mine. I don't particularly care if they make some
> money using my code.

True, the big companies can lock up the final product which has
their and your code in it. If their product gets distributed broadly,
they can lock up users through what people call an "industry"
standard.

> I've seen these license debates go no where, because facts and opinions
> get mixed up. The first three sentences in my previous paragraph are facts.
> The last one is an opinion.


> My personal opinion is that GPL'ed projects hinder further commercial
> innovation by explicitly prohibiting that. Yes, I know the free
> beer/speech argument. I also know that companies can survive by providing
> support for GPL'ed projects, but they don't have enough of an incentive
> to innovate.

This is your opinion and I respect it.
In my opinion not using Free Software hinders important innovations
and solution we need. I would agree with you that the commercial
software market in a largely Free Software World is smaller than in
a largely close software world. 

I justed wanted to explain why the GPL is so popular. And what the
differences to other licenses are. 

	Bernhard
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