[sword-devel] Closed source exploitation of open source works (a GPL loophole)

[Trandahl, Steve]

> Paul Gear wrote:
> 
> 
> Chris Little wrote:
> 
> > The spirit of the GPL is that free software will be used to 
> make more free
> > software.
> 
> ...
> 
> > Further, since non-free
> > software developers do not give back to free software, free software
should
> > avoid assisting non-free software development by providing it free work
and
> > finished tools.
> 
> I think this is where you overstate the spirit of the GPL.  I don't think
the
> point is to avoid helping proprietary software, but to benefit free
software.
> Any detriment to proprietary software is incidental to the GPL's purpose.
> 
I agree.  It seems to me that our intent should not be to stop other people
from developing Bible study software, whether it's proprietary or not.  The
ActiveX control would allow a lot more people to use the SWORD back-end.
More front-ends would likely improve the availability of low-cost Bible
software.

Steve