>Might be true, but in that case the blame is on the ones who were doing
the misunderstanding.

I agree actually - it is their misunderstanding and they are paying the
consequences for their misunderstanding. All I am really saying is that
they won't be making that mistake again :-)

> Man, half the internet relies on GPL-ed and other free-licensed
software,
> so if you were not 'using' it your email would never come through!

Again I agree - in general it's an excellent concept! Only where it
overlaps into being retrospectively disruptive to commercial efforts do
I raise an eyebrow.

>No subtleties, jusy a cleverly written and very clear document of a few
pages.

Certainly not in retrospect with precedent court cases to underscore the
legal meanings of the licenses.

Enough now!

Cheers,

James Caska
www.muvium.com
uVM - 'Java Bred for Embedded'



-----Original Message-----
From: pic microcontroller discussion list
[mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Wouter van Ooijen
Sent: Wednesday, 28 January 2004 12:17 AM
To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [OT:] SCO lobbying Congress about Linux


> there was a general
> misunderstanding of the intention of the 'free software'.

Might be true, but in that case the blame is on the ones who were doing
the misunderstanding.

> distruptive consquences.. Sounds like all the hallmarks of a trogan
> horse in addition to that of a virus.. A very clever strategy indeed.

The GPL/Stallman group has always made it very clear where they stood,
what their license meant and what the effect would be. If someone used
there software and now start to complain about the consequences he must
face the music. If I smuggle drugs into Thailand and get caught I might
be lucky and the queen might get me off the electric chair (or whatever
they use), but the defence 'is this illegal, I had no idea!' is will not
be very succesfull if my IQ is over 80.

> Now that's what sharing is supposed to be about :-)

Sorry, it is not up to you to decide what sharing *as done by someone
else* is all about. You decide the rules for what you share, not for
someone else. BTW what do you share, and under what license?

> What purpose does the GPL license have other than to be intentionally
> disruptive?

To make software in source form freely available. Is that any more
disruprive than indoctrinating people with Catholic ethics (replace with
Protestant, Muslim, Yewish, Buddist, Communist, Freemason, ...)? I think
it is actually less disruptive.

> what are
> the legalities of an intentionally disruptive paragidm?

AFAIK disruptiveness is not forbidden by most free-country laws,
otherwise all speculators (currency, oil, etc) would be in jail.

> but don't let them get their glory by putting
> legal trogan horses in commercial software

They did not put anything in commercial software! Nor did the commercial
vendor, because the moment he did put GPL-licensed code in his software
he agreed that is was not commercial (loose definition) any more :)

> the subtleties of what the legal meaning
> of 'free' really is..

No subtleties, jusy a cleverly written and very clear document of a few
pages. In fact much shorter and clearer than most licenses for
commecrial software. And accompanied by an explaining text that is
readable (but not legally perfect, that's what the license text itself
is for). Any company who's legal department can not interpret the GPL
deserves to go down.

> Eventually your
> free code will just sit there with I'ts RED STIPES because no-one will

> take any interest in it until you change your license.

I both use GPL-ed software and make GPL-ed software available. And so do
many others. Man, half the internet relies on GPL-ed and other
free-licensed software, so if you were not 'using' it your email would
never come through!

> this, maybe the license model that Wouter is looking for

What I am looking for is a model that is suited to what I want for my
Jal library. For many ofther pieces of software I am perfectly satisfied
with GPL, sometimes LGPL, FDL, or sometimes another license.

Wouter van Ooijen

-- -------------------------------------------
Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
consultancy, development, PICmicro products

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