Re: Linus Speaks About KDE-Bashing

toshok@hungry.com
13 Jul 1998 19:12:21 -0700


"Jon M. Taylor" <taylorj@ecs.csus.edu> writes:
>
> On 13 Jul 1998 toshok@hungry.com wrote:
>
> > "Jon M. Taylor" <taylorj@ecs.csus.edu> writes:
> > >
> > > On Mon, 13 Jul 1998, Brandon S. Allbery KF8NH wrote:
> > >
> > > > FreeBSD looks more appealing all the time.
> > >
> > > It isn't perfect either. People can "take code private", and thus
> > > the code isn't really free - something that is truly free can never be
> > > made unfree. See my other post on a proposal for a "FreeGPL" license that
> > > attempts to take the best parts of the GPL and BSD licenses and combine
> > > them into a truly free license.
> >
> > Nothing is ever going to be perfect. But the simple fact that you
> > don't see pointless bickering about software licenses on freebsd lists
> > should tell you something. :)
>
> I don't agree with everything the FreeBSD license says, but it
> does have the substantial virtue (that the GPL does not) of being
> straightforward and unambiguous. I have other problems with the GPL
> besides this, but I could live with those if the ambiguity was cleaned up.
> IMHO the ambiguity is going to turn into a showstopper "bug" that will
> render the whole GPL unuseable.

then don't use it. problem solved. let's move along, citizen.

> > Jesus, people. Do you realize how much time you're wasting with this
> > discussion? There's an awful lot of code to write, and you're not
> > helping matters at all.
>
> It bothers me when I see people say this. In essence, you are
> telling people to shut up and go away instead of trying to fix the problem
> we have.

No, I am telling people to shut up and go away to *fix* the problem we
have. You people are doing your best to invent a problem where none
exists. Just go away and write some code, please, and stop bickering.

> I daresay that there isn't a bigger problem in the open
> source/free software community at present than the problems that the
> ambiguous language in the GPL has caused, is causing and will continue to
> cause if something isn't done. Sticking your head in the sand and fixing
> some driver bugs is not a smart thing to do when the foundation of our
> universe is coming apart at the seams!

like I said, don't use it. The GPL is problematic in the extreme, in
language, intent, and philosophy. I don't have a problem with the GPL
because (ready?) I don't use it.

there. if only every problem in this universe were so easy to solve.

xtoph

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