[olug] U.K. Urged to hold back on open source

[William E. Kempf]

Sam Tetherow said:
> William E. Kempf wrote:
>>Again, before this thread spins too far out of control you should keep
>> in mind that I'm not against open source or free software.  I just
>> dislike the GPL, and understand that corporations are so wary of it
>> that many won't let you touch it, even when there should be no risk.
>>
>
> And I am not a against proprietary software or other licenses, however
> perpetuating the fear and uncertianty of the GPL does little to help the
>  endorsement of free software in general especially considering how much
>  open source software is published under the GPL.

The restrictions of the GPL are not FUD.  They're legally binding, and
have serious implications that many don't understand (and you've proven
that in this discussion).

> As an author and contributor of several free programs I have generally
> used the GPL because for the things I worked on, either they were
> already published under the GPL before I took them up or I felt that,
> for that specific instance, the GPL best suited the application.  I
> however am not a GPL purist who thinks all software should be written
> under the GPL, nor all open source software written under the GPL.  I
> don't have problems with any of the public licenses, the author of the
> software should have the final say in what that software is used for.

He doesn't, if the software is a derivative work of other GPL software,
and is distributed in any form.

> If they couldn't give a damn if I take the software and make millions
> off of it with no recompense to them then fine, if they choose a license
>  that makes the software completely unusable by me because of what I
> want  to try and do with it, then fine again, it is their right to place
> those  restrictions on their work.

Certainly it's their right.  I've never claimed other wise.  But releasing
something under the GPL basically prohibits it's use in many cases,
because of it's viral clause (I don't use that term because it's
derogative, but because it best describes the forced GPL on derivatives
clause).

-- 
William E. Kempf