[CS-FSLUG] NI: Linux: GPL impedes more than it helps

[Don Parris]

On 10/5/05, Fred A. Miller <fmiller at lightlink.com> wrote:
> http://blogs.zdnet.com/Murphy/index.php?p=434&tag=nl.e539
>
> --

I'm sorry.  I really didn't understand what his blog really had to do
with the GPL.  I think he's smoking some bad MSO or something.  ESR
has said we no longer need the GPL.  The GPL guarantees users freedom
for all time.  For people to criticize it, there sure do seem to be a
huge number still choosing it.  I do not share ESR's faith 'in the
system', that people will simply learn to open their code.  To me,
this is just one more attempt to convince users to surrender their
freedom.

<begin serious rant>
Maybe I'm wrong.  But I believe its stupid, if not wrong, to give up
my freedom.  Nor should I be willing to hinder others in their
freedom.  If I can't make money and let people be free, I don't need
the money that bad.  Trust me when I say I really do need more than I
currently earn.  Still, I would rather suffer on the edge than to tell
someone else, "you're not free to use this software as you need to",
or "you're not free to help your neighbor".

The GPL encourages the spirit of cooperation and sharing.  The GPL
gives us the freedom to do these things.  When my own brothers in
Christ tell me how they are not their brother's keeper, I want to know
why then, do they give clothes, food, money, and who knows what else
to the cause of the poor.  "But share my software??  No way, man!  Let
'em get their own!"  I find that attitude pretty offensive.
</end rant>

O.k., I feel a little better now. ;-)  I'm just tired of all this
"down with the GPL" crap.  If you prefer the X-11 styled licenses,
great.  Use that instead.  But don't knock the GPL.  If it weren't for
it, we wouldn't have half of what we now have in terms of libre
software.  I believe we can all cooperate without beating each other
over the head because we prefer one libre license over the other.

If you want to beat up on someone, beat up on proprietary developers
who deprive users of freedoms they ought to have.  EULAs are simply a
way to negate the fair use clause in our copyright system.  Without a
EULA, we'd all be able to at least modify the software we run on our
computers (if nothing else).

If I sound a little touchy, I may be.  Please take my post with a grain of salt.

Don
--
DC Parris GNU Evangelist
http://matheteuo.org/
gnumathetes at gmail.com
"Hey man, whatever pickles your list!"