The Industry choice

Roel Schroeven rschroev_nospam_ml at fastmail.fm
Thu Jan 6 03:39:11 EST 2005


Bulba! wrote:
> If GPL folks had their way, it would not be possible not to "share" 
> _anything_ you create.

That's generally the goal of the Free Software Foundation: they think 
all users should have the freedom to modify and/or distribute your code. 
Most people who use the GPL don't feel that way; they think that each 
author should have the freedom to choice if and how he chooses to share 
code. They just see the GPL as an appropriate way to share their code.

> It is widely acknowledged that GPL license has the "viral" aspect of
> extending itself on your software - can you point to closed-source
> licenses that would have this aspect?

Can you point to closed-source licenses that allow using the code *at 
all*? With GPL, you have the choice: either you agree with its terms on 
distributing the code and then you can use the code, or you don't agree 
with it and you don't use (which is still no worse than closed source).

Some people call that viral, but I think it's a distortion of the truth.

 > None of the licenses I've read except GPL has
> this aspect.  LGPL is still a different story, though.

Of course, different licenses have different terms. That's why there are 
different licenses.

-- 
"Codito ergo sum"
Roel Schroeven



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