»Q« wrote:
In <news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
Mike Edenfield <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. wrote:
Remember that the GPL has always been about all the users NOT just
the developers/distributors -- "adapt it to your needs" is not
allowed when it restricts other users' freedoms.
Very few GPL proponents are willing to make this (rather obviously
true) statement; I'm glad some are. But to be more accurate, one
should say that the GPL has always been about guaranteeing users
freedoms *at the expense of* the developer's freedoms.
Perhaps you mean downstream developers who accept the GPL granted by
upstream? The original developers can do whatever they like with their
code, since they don't need to license it from anyone.
Yes, I wasn't very clear in my original statement. I was
referring to developers who choose to use code licensed
under a GPL or similar license. The GPL removes their
freedoms, in order to guarantee other freedoms for the bulk
of the public. I've spoken with many people who balk at
stating things this way, but it's simple truth. It's really
a reasonable compromise, IMO. The "downstream" developers
are making the choice to give up their freedoms by
using/modifying the code to begin with.
--
-- Mike
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