Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 15:32:42 -0700 From: Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org> To: Christopher Masto <chris@netmonger.net>, chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: GPL issues (Was: More important Windows Refund Day coverage) Message-ID: <4.1.19990222144835.0404ba70@mail.lariat.org> In-Reply-To: <19990222160942.A24590@netmonger.net> References: <4.1.19990222132000.04005810@mail.lariat.org> <4.1.19990221233032.03fffba0@mail.lariat.org> <199902211924.OAA02025@y.dyson.net> <19990221180845.J93492@lemis.com> <199902211924.OAA02025@y.dyson.net> <19990222082525.A1429@ska.bsn> <4.1.19990221233032.03fffba0@mail.lariat.org> <19990222143416.A25682@netmonger.net> <4.1.19990222132000.04005810@mail.lariat.org>
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At 04:09 PM 2/22/99 -0500, Christopher Masto wrote: >You claim that you are making "an honest living". I claim that you >are hurting your neighbors. Gee, I guess I'm also "hurting" my neighbors by not giving them my car, my house, and the contents of my bank account. >> If you use a Berkeley-style license, your code will not become >> "non-free." In fact, it is MORE free than it is under the GPL, because >> it can be used by anyone for any purpose. > >I do not want my code to be used for non-free purposes. Do you use your house for "non-free" purposes? Your computer? Your car? Heck, that's not fair. Better give them away. You're hurting your neighbors by depriving them of everything you own. ;-) >> Only code that others write to work with your code may be kept >> private, and that is their right. > >No, it's not. It's my code, and it's my right to not give them that >permission. You can't really keep them from doing so anyway. This is another fallacy often put forth by GPL proponents: that they'd be able to catch someone who used their code in a commercial product. Sorry, guy, if someone did that, odds are you'd never know. And if you suspected, what would you do? Do you have the money to sue a large corporation such as Microsoft? It's a fool's errand. Again, get real. >If you want to use my code, you have to accept my terms, >and my terms are that it remain free. If you don't like that, you'll >have to write your own code instead of using mine. In which case, you will hurt the small developers -- who can't afford to reimplement everything -- and not the large ones (like Microsoft) who can. You will actually support Microsoft's monopoly position and damage its potential competitors. Not something I imagine you would want to do. >> Arguments that "what comes of proprietary software" is bad are generally >> specious and/or appeal solely to one egregious example: Microsoft. > >I'm not making an argument against proprietary software. I do not >care to have such an argument. I have my reasons for not wanting to >be a part of the proprietary software world. That is why I use the >GPL. Care to enumerate these mysterious "reasons?" >> In that case, you are intentionally sabotaging the ability of all >> developers to make a living. As such, you are engaged in a process >> that's destructive, rather than constructive. > >No, I'm deciding how the code I write is allowed to be used. The same >way you can decide to hoard your code. No, you're sabotaging them. By releasing code for free to users but "hoarding" it (as you put it) from developers, you are reducing the market value of that code's functionality to zero while requiring developers to spend money reimplementing it. Of course, given the attitudes you've expressed in this thread, I'm sure that's your intent -- to get back at those greedy bastards who are "hurting their neighbors" by not giving all of their work away for free. >> I see: Making an honest living as a developer is OBVIOUSLY evil and wrong. > >You can make an honest living as a developer without hurting your >neighbors. Gee, wondered why my neighbors were dropping like flies. They're being terribly hurt because I'm being justly compensated for my efforts. Guess I'll turn to dealing drugs instead. That won't hurt my neighbors -- just their kids. >I do not believe that certain things are right to do just >because you are paid for them. Making an honest living as a gas >chamber operator is OBVIOUSLY evil and wrong. Fweeet! Godwin's Law. >I would like to see free replacements for these things. But you don't >seem to understand that I am capable of rational behavior. It sure doesn't sound like you are capable of rational THOUGHT. >You see GPL and have a shit-fit. No, However, I strongly advise against its use and suggest that it might even be illegal under the Robinson-Patman Act. --Brett Glass To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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