"Daniel L. Johnson, MD" wrote:
>
> Tim Cook wrote:
> >
> > Oliver White wrote:
> > >
> > > You'll simply not have the support from and visibility in the free
software community, choosing BSD over
> >
> ...clip...
> >
> > In my mind the jury is still out on that. Where WE stand to lose
> > is IF the GPL does in fact 'infect' everything it touches.
> ...clip...
> > I embrace the concept of open source software. But I do not
> > embrace the CONTROL of the GPL. It actually takes away my
> > freedom; both as an author and as a user.
>
> This is why the Mozilla Public License. Have you rejected
> that, or a modification of it?
That is one of the licenses that I'm evaluating.
Although I wanted to wait until my analysis and memorandum was complete,
I think I need to intercede here because I feel the discussion has
gotten off on the wrong foot.
Several lawyers have addressed the issue of GPL "infection." The rule
of thumb is: if you mix GPL source code with other code to make new
binary executable, then that other source code is subject to the GPL.
HOWEVER, if you use GPL binaries in conjunction with other binaries (but
don't mix the source code), then your other binaries are NOT subject to
the GPL. Essentially, the GPL ends where the last bit of binary code
ends. Sending your data through a GPL binary does not infect the data,
nor does it affect the binary code that sent the data or the binary code
that receives the results.
Incidentally, there is discussion of the GPL "religion" in the GPL
license. From a legal standpoint, that discussion is call "dicta," and
doesn't have any force or effect. You don't have to ascribe to
Stallman's religion in order to use the valuable (legal) parts of the
GPL. Linus Torvolds doesn't ascribe to Stallman's religion but does
like the benefits of the GPL and that is why he chose that license for
the linux kernel.
Incidentally, there is also the Lesser (License) GPL (LGPL), which comes
in handy when there is a need to mix-it-up with GPL software. Several
companies have used that license to good advantage. The key is how you
use the code and in what manner. Unfortunately, that requires some
legal finesse when designing the code, but that is the world we live in
now.
Ron
./.
_______________________________________________
Freepm-discuss mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/freepm-discuss
