[CS-FSLUG] NI: OfB.biz: Qt, the GPL, Business and Freedom

[Don Parris]

On Fri, 5 Aug 2005 21:29:26 -0500
Timothy Butler <tbutler at ofb.biz> wrote:

> In a series of articles during the month of July, OfB's Timothy R.  
> Butler explained why he felt that KDE needed to move beyond the Qt  
> toolkit it uses as a foundation. In that series, he asserted that the  
> licensing of Qt is becoming a stumbling block to the desktop's  
> adoption. Eric Laffoon, the project lead for KDE's Kdewebdev module,  
> takes exception to Butler's arguments and makes the case for his view  
> on the issue of Qt at:
> 
>      http://www.ofb.biz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=381
> 
> ---

Well Tim, you made a great argument for using the LGPL for QT.  (At least,
that's what I thought you were doing.)  Still, Eric makes a strong case for
Trolltech's use of the GPL.  He also points out something that I have felt
for some time.  Libre software is libre for a reason.  If we don't grasp the
importance of freedom, then we miss the point of free software.  If we miss
the point of free software, then developing proprietary software remains the
norm - the movement will have accomplished nothing.  

To me, restricting the freedom of the users is more harmful than good.  It
may be good for me, but not for all.  Restricting the freedom of others
causes far more harm than good.  That's not a price I'm willing to pay.
Using the LGPL may make good sense in certain situations.  It mmight be the
best choice in the case of QT.  However, ignoring the purpose of the GPL is
to ignore the moral issue of freedom for all.

Even ESR (or perhaps it was Bruce?) has argued that there is little reason
for most companies to develop proprietary software.  His biggest issue with
the GPL has more to do with the personal nature of the conflict with RMS,
than with the interest of the FOSS community.  I am beginning to think that
some of us"young bucks" will have to step up and help bridge the divide
between the FSF and the OSI.

I am very much a supporter of the GNU GPL.  However, my own interaction with
RMS suggests that no-copylefted software is also free - that's from RMS
himself.  Whether we choose the copyleft or not, everyone in the FOSS
community has an interest in making & keeping software free!

Blessings,
Don
-- 
evangelinux    GNU Evangelist
http://matheteuo.org/                   http://chaddb.sourceforge.net/
"Free software is like God's love - you can share it with anyone anytime
anywhere."