Re: Too Good to be True?

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Article #72631

#72631

From: Barry Margolin
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1992 05:11

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In article <PePweB5w164w@mantis.co.uk> mathew@mantis.co.uk (Lieutenant 030) writes:
>The user has the entire source code for the program.  He also has a full
>release of whatever GNU software I took code from.  He can pass on the
>GNU software, and he can pass on the GNU bits of the program.  He just
>can't pass on my bits of the program.
>
>What's unreasonable about that?  I'm not trying to hoard GNU code or make
>it unsharable.  I'm not preventing the user from recompiling.  I'm not
>preventing the user from passing on GNU code.

The FSF is not just concerned with *their* software.  Their goal is to
change the entire software industry.

In order to distribute GNU-derived code, you must buy into their philosophy
about software distribution.  The goal is to get as many software
developers as possible to buy into this philosophy.  The GNU software is a
means to this end, by providing lots of high-quality code as enticements to
join the religion (some might prefer to view it as a cult).

So, as long as you hoard your software (and RMS considers considers
preventing your customers from sharing it as hoarding) you can't base it on
GNU software.
-- 
Barry Margolin, Thinking Machines Corp.

barmar@think.com
{uunet,harvard}!think!barmar

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From: barmar@think.com (Barry Margolin)
Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss
Subject: Re: Too Good to be True?
Date: 22 Jan 1992 05:11:20 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
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