[OT] What is Open Source? (was Re: ANN: Twisted 0.16.0...)

[Huaiyu Zhu]

Stephen J. Turnbull <stephen at xemacs.org> wrote:
>I have no issue with the GPL, because the GPL only affects people who
>chose to use GPLed code in their projects.  It's a wonderful behavior-
>modification tool; it often causes people to free software they would
>otherwise keep proprietary.  Most of my development effort is spent on
>XEmacs, which is GPL through and through.  The GPL is certainly does
>not affect my decisions about what existing projects to contribute to.

I'm glad to hear that.  It is very respectable.   I salute you.

>I do have issues with some GPL advocates, because their arguments
>amount to claiming that nobody should have property rights in his own
>code.  (rms says this explicitly, but very few are so courageous as
>he.)  And I have issues with many other GPL advocates, because _their_
>arguments amount to claiming they have property rights in other
>people's code.  But that's a different thread.

Do you realize that the way you advocate your point of view gives an
impression that might be similar to the impression left on you by those GPL
advocates whom you have issues with?

RMS has my respect in being precise, consistent and honest.  He tries hard
to make clear the specific meanings he assigns to his words, and takes pains
to point out its difference with other usages or misunderstandings.

I don't think it helpful at all to sacrifice the precision of a term that is
central to an argument in favor of closeness to its everyday usage.
Otherwise we probably should all be arguing whether physicists used the
words "energy", "power" and "work" correctly.  :-)

>    Huaiyu> How come they are not equal if they are also the same?
>
>I can only suggest that you read what the protagonists say on their
>own web sites.  

I still don't know if _you_ are using them as synonyms for the same concept.
That does not help me to understand what _you_ are trying to say.  But
thanks for the links.  They certainly provide more perspectives.

Huaiyu