Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Thu, 19 Apr 2001 14:34:47 -0600
From:      Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org>
To:        Mike Meyer <mwm@mired.org>, dan@langille.org
Cc:        freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Stallman now claims authorship of Linux
Message-ID:  <4.3.2.7.2.20010419143024.045d2100@localhost>
In-Reply-To: <15071.19051.343972.458299@guru.mired.org>
References:  <200104192013.f3JKDfm73628@ns1.unixathome.org> <4.3.2.7.2.20010419140150.045176b0@localhost> <200104192013.f3JKDfm73628@ns1.unixathome.org>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
At 02:28 PM 4/19/2001, Mike Meyer wrote:

>> I'm a programmer.  I get paid for my work.  And by no means can it be 
>> considered a slave wage.
>
>I'd say the same thing myself. And, contrary to the nonsense that
>Brett was spouting, it doesn't matter whether I'm working on GPL'ed
>softare or not.

It will. Because the GPLed software will hurt your ability to make
money as a programmer. This is the stated purpose of the GPL.

In the short run, shortsighted companies may pay you for writing GPLed
code. But companies that produce GPLed code will not and cannot
survive. In the long run the GPL will destroy the company and hence 
your job. If I were you, I wouldn't trade a few dollars in the short
term to destroy my long term prospects as a professional.

>> > You build capital as a programmer under conditions D, E and F the
>> > exact same way you do in all those other fields, working under those
>> > conditions.
>> Can I pay my mortgage with that capital?
>
>Since people working in other fields seem to manage it, you ought to
>be able to.

People working in other fields generally recognize, and do not engage
in, activities that would destroy their own jobs. It is only because
programmers are often unaware of the realities of economics and
business that some seem susceptible to this trap. Don't fall into it!

--Brett


To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message




Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?4.3.2.7.2.20010419143024.045d2100>