On Thu, May 8, 2008 at 4:02 PM, Olin Lathrop wrote: > Mark Rages wrote: >> The GPL is only concerned with copying. It doesn't address how you >> use the software once you have it (compiling it, linking it against >> other software, etc.) It only addresses distribution. > > But distribution is one of various uses of source code, so the GPL does > restrict how it can be used. > >> While your software is open source in the sense that the source code >> is available for reading, it does not meet the Open Source >> Initiative's definition: > > So? I don't remember them getting ordained the Official Keeper of the Open > Source definition. The Open Software Foundation puts restrictions on what > you can do with their source. You are confusing OSI ("open source" people), the FSF ("free software" people), and the OSF (which isn't really "open" at all, like you pointed out.) I am not interested in arguments over the GPL. I am just trying to correct what I read as misleading statetments. > I think some of them are rather onerous and > actually hurt the wide accessibility of software for end users. They do > this because they have a particular agenda they want to push. The widest > accessibility of software for end users isn't their goal. I agree they have > the right to put whatever restrictions on their software they want, as does > the owner of any software, but I totally disagree that they have some sort > of moral high ground and get to define what "open source" is. The FSF and Richard Stallman are quite clear in what they are trying to achieve. They are concerned with the freedom of the software user, not the software itself. >> Therefore is not "open >> source" in the accepted usage of the term. > > We'll have to agree to disagree on this. I don't accept their definition of > "open source", nor do I agree that their exact definition is accepted usage. Was the term in common use before the OSI was founded in 1998? I believe their PR popularized the term. Regards, Mark markrages@gmail -- Mark Rages, Engineer Midwest Telecine LLC markrages@midwesttelecine.com -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist