[sword-devel] Fwd: GPL and other license related questions

[Jason Galyon]

Titus 3:10-11

Chris Little wrote:
> [Forwarding message per request. Sorry, I can't advise how to fix the  
> sending problem. --Chris]
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>   
>> From: Moses McKnight <moses at mcknightinstruments.com>
>> Date: January 26, 2008 3:59:22 PM PST
>> To: chrislit at crosswire.org
>> Subject: Re: [sword-devel] GPL and other license related questions
>>
>> Hey Chris, I tried to send this to the list but it bounced with the
>> following error:
>>
>> Diagnostic-Code: X-Postfix; host mail.crosswire.org[64.140.154.250]  
>> said:
>>    550-Verification failed for <moses at skytex.net> 550-Unrouteable
>> address 550
>>    Sender verify failed (in reply to RCPT TO command)
>>
>>
>> Can you send it for me?  Or tell me what I need to do to send it?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Moses
>>
>>
>>
>> Jason Galyon wrote:
>>     
>>> Chris Little wrote:
>>>       
>>>> The only people who would consider the GPL "freedom destroying"  
>>>> are  people who only care about their own freedoms and not those  
>>>> of others  (i.e. selfish people). I don't think we care about  
>>>> their interests. We  certainly don't have any interest in having  
>>>> our work exploited by the  selfish, who would like to exploit our  
>>>> years of work for their own  personal, possibly monetary, gain.
>>>>
>>>> --Chris
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> This is full of angst and ignorance.  I would expect that of a  
>>> child but not a Christian.  If you can not develop a frontend (for  
>>> example) in whatever OSI approved license you choose then I believe  
>>> that is one of the many reasons why people see the GPL as viral and  
>>> freedom destroying.
>>>       
>> I personally don't see the angst in Chris' post.  As for his  
>> argument I
>> don't want to put words in his mouth but let me expand on it a little.
>> The reason he can rightfully say that the people who would consider  
>> the
>> GPL "freedom destroying" are selfish and care only about their own
>> freedoms is this: They think they should have the right (freedom) to  
>> use
>> someone else's software (time and labor) without recompense or
>> restriction, but the people who wrote the software should not have the
>> right or freedom to receive a recompense or place a restriction on  
>> their
>> work.  This is the essence of slavery - someone else getting to use  
>> your
>> time and labor any way want without recompense.
>>
>> Furthermore, to call the GPL viral is a misnomer at best and really
>> indicative of the selfish attitude mentioned above.  If you don't like
>> the license, don't use the software licensed that way.  Quite simple.
>> Nothing "forces" you to use the software.  Your software is completely
>> unaffected by the GPL if you don't use GPL software in it, and the GPL
>> cannot possibly "infect" your software.  You must purposely use GPL
>> software in your software in order to affected by it, therefore the  
>> GPL
>> cannot be accurately called a "virus".  To do so is what I would  
>> expect
>> of a child and not a Christian :-)  I would also say that the only
>> people I have seen that call the GPL a virus and freedom destroying  
>> are
>> either companies or individuals who want to use GPL software in their
>> own commercial software and don't like the license.
>>
>>     
>>> Some look for the good of all and see GPL as not the best method to  
>>> reach those ends.
>>>       
>> You may not intend to but the way this is worded gives the subtle
>> implication that those who use the GPL are not looking for the good  
>> of all.
>>
>>     
>>> Again, there are other licenses out there and if you are forced to  
>>> only use GPL then read that again and notice the word "FORCE".   
>>> Lets try and be civil and take the rhetoric out.
>>>       
>> As I mentioned above, no one is "forcing" anyone to use the GPL.  If  
>> you
>> don't like it, don't use the software.  No one is "forcing" you to use
>> the software either.  That's some of the rhetoric you mention...
>>
>> Moses
>>
>>
>>
>>     
>
>
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