Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 18:13:29 -0600 (CST) From: Joel Ray Holveck <joelh@gnu.org> To: freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Netscape free software? Message-ID: <199801240013.SAA02703@detlev.UUCP>
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rms noticed a bit on the Netscape news bulletins that may imply limited redistribution of Communicator, at least in modified form. ------- Start of forwarded message ------- From: Richard Stallman Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 21:00:25 -0700 Subject: Netscape free software? People are saying that Netscape is releasing the source code under the GNU GPL. This may not be entirely accurate. They issued a press release saying they are releasing source code, and it cites the GNU GPL, but it does not actually say that they are going to use the GNU GPL as their new distribution terms. It appears that they will not. >From http://www.internetnews.com/prod-news/1998/01/2204-free.html: Netscape said it also plans to allow qualified partners to create a customized version of Netscape Navigator or Netscape Communicator for redistribution to users. If this is true, it implies that users will not in general have the freedom to distribute modified versions, which means that the program will not be free software. If so, this is not the momentous occasion that it appeared to be. It could still benefit the free software movement greatly in various ways, but we will have to make a sustained effort to educate people about the difference between what Netscape is doing and real free software. Meanwhile we still need to finish the GNU web browser, E-scape. On the other hand, perhaps Netscape really will make their browser free software. We can still hope so, and if they don't do this at first, we can urge them to do it later. ------- End of forwarded message ------- -- Joel Ray Holveck - joelh@gnu.org - http://www.wp.com/piquan Fourth law of programming: Anything that can go wrong wi sendmail: segmentation violation - core dumped
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