> > It's interesting to note how companies like Trolltech and MySQL find > > that the GNU license as-is is clearly not viable for commercial > > purposes and have resorted to dual licensing their offerings. > > How odd. I'd phrase it precisely the other way around: Multiple > licensing is a very cool trick, and many business/commercial effects > that can be achieved with it are not possible _without_ copyleft > licensing. Ironically enough, you yourself have supplied an example. > Please see, below.
It IS a 'cool trick'. The point is that the GNU license, used _alone_, is inadequate to sustain a business model in many cases. When used in conjunction with trademark protection and a 2nd commercial license it does seem to be effective in protecting business interests and at the same time preserving the ideals of open source - everyone gets to have their cake and eat it too. However, the extreme viral nature of the GPL is still a turn-off or too much of a risk to many companies who would rather work with an MPL- or BSD- style license. There is room for both styles and EXTREMISTS (like Stallman) who insist that people have to necessarily gravitate towards one over the other justifiably risk being percieved and labeled as dictatorial. The existence of people whose views are like Stallman's in that they do not acknowledge the usefulness or practicality of open source licenses with terms differing from the GPL (extremists) prove that my earlier statements are not about a 'straw man'. Extremists are all about curtailing people's freedom to believe in something other than what they preach - they are oppressive, unhealthy for society at large, and are a danger to everyone including themselves. I acknowledge RMS' massive contributions to the software community but his going a bit (just a bit) overboard in his advocacy is actually taking away from all the good that he has accomplished. He should lighten up a little. As a side note I am curious, what is RMS' stand on dual licensing? > > Look at the Delphi components scene for which many purveyors have been > > supplying source code for their components without any regard for the > > GPL or what RMS seems to consider gospel truths. > > Correction: Please have a look at the terms of usage for Borland Kylix > Community Edition. 3rd party Delphi *COMPONENTS*, not Delphi or Kylix itself. _ Philippine Linux Users Group. Web site and archives at http://plug.linux.org.ph To leave: send "unsubscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to the Linux Newbies' List: send "subscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
