Article View: gnu.misc.discuss
Article #579Re: PD (was Why I do not...)
From: Ozan Yigit
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 1989 15:50
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 1989 15:50
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2663 bytes
In article <NELSON.89Oct19072055@image.clarkson.edu>
nelson@clutx.clarkson.edu writes:
>Right. What we have here is a difference of opinion about whether this is
>acceptable or not.
Indeed, a subjective one. The intent to benefit public at-large, however,
is our objective goal which we presumably agree on.
>
> In fact, the whole misinformation bit about PD stuff is quite
> tiring.
>But it is *not* misinformation.
Sorry, I did not mean to imply that you had misinformed, but there has
been various straw man arguments against PDness, and there seems to be
some misunderstanding as to what PD means.
>If *I* want all of my code to be distributed
>with source, and someone uses some code that I have put into the PD and, for
>whatever reasons of their own, refuses to distribute source, I have no
>recourse. They are using my code in a way that is anathema to me.
This is true. The missing bit is that noone has the right (nor, possibly
the capability, depending on how you distribute) to restrict the original
code [the one you provably authored and released into public domain] in
any way. So, I do not see what the problem is. The original has been, is,
and will be available (whatever available means in the context of software
distribution) to the public at-large as always. Whatever benefits such
software may have to the public at-large is undiminished.
>I accept that you don't care if some/all of your code is distributed without
>source. I presume that you accept that I *do* care.
I do accept your stance. My point is that the fine distinction you seem to
be making with regards to "availability of source" (in the context of public
domainness) does not exist. Think of the source (notes) of Beethoven's fifth.
oz
--
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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!yunexus!oz From: oz@yunexus.UUCP (Ozan Yigit) Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss Subject: Re: PD (was Why I do not...) Message-ID: <4496@yunexus.UUCP> Date: 20 Oct 89 15:50:48 GMT Article-I.D.: yunexus.4496 References: <8910160520.AA01740@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> <SJA.89Oct16125938@sirius.hut.fi> <NELSON.89Oct16205843@image.clarkson.edu> <4426@yunexus.UUCP> <NELSON.89Oct19072055@image.clarkson.edu> Reply-To: oz@yunexus.UUCP (Ozan Yigit) Distribution: gnu Organization: York U. Communications Research & Development Lines: 45