The problem is that while it's free to use and to modify on FreeDOS,
it's restricted to FreeDOS (officially speaking; rumour has it that
you're allowed to use it on any DOS based OS unofficially[1]).
You can't (for example) port it to BSD and run it there.
That makes it a non-free license in the GNU sense. I think one of the
goals of FreeDOS is to distribute software that you can do *anything*
with (including port to other OSes should you want to).
I agree that the situation is wasteful, and I miss the addition of 4dos
as well. But I understand the thinking and it's valid.
R.
[1] https://www.4dos.info/sources.htm says:
/ contrary to the above permission "to deal without restriction". When
asked "what about MS-DOS, PC-DOS, DR DOS etcetera?", Rex Conn answered:/
*/ I don't have any problems with people using it on those OS's
(although/**/
/**/
/**/ I'd be surprised if there was a lot of MS-DOS or PC-DOS action
left)./**/
/**/
/**/ That license was written by the FreeDOS people – it was probably
worded/**/
/**/
/**/ that way because it's impossible to list every possible
variation of the DOS OS's./*
On 3/27/2020 12:07 PM, userbeit...@abwesend.de wrote:
Hi!
I just read through
http://wiki.freedos.org/wiki/index.php/Releases/1.3/Packages. In Section
Utilities 4DOS is marked as "no not include" for FreeDOS 1.3.
?!?!?! I thought that 4DOS was specifically free to use with FreeDOS.
Wasn't this the ONLY limitation of the license? Shouldn't it therefore
be completely free in a FreeDOS distribution, for private and commerical
use? Actually, this is the only way it was meant to be, wasn't it?
https://www.4dos.info/sources.htm
"The Software, or any portion of it, may not be compiled for use on any
operating system OTHER than FreeDOS…"
A.
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