Re: Article: IBM wants to "clean up the license" of Linux

Alan Cox (alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk)
Sun, 20 Dec 1998 00:53:58 +0000 (GMT)


> It is unclear to me whether they are suggesting that GNU change the
> GPL in their favor, or want Linux to swich to another license. I hope they
> understand that GPL'd code cannot be switched to a different license.

Im not sure if its liability concerns or "Linux is great but we want to
change the license so we can extort money from everyone for using it". IBM
don't have a very good reputation with the IETF, with small vendors or
with patent reform people for their general behaviour in the patent area.

Sooner or later the entire US "sue everyone, patent everything" world is
going to start collapsing around their ears. Reform is urgently needed so
that if they have software patents they only accept those that are truely
clever and unique, and that they have a cheap simple appeals procedure to
stop abuse.

Next time you pay a dollar in the US for a product, remember that more
is going on insurance against lawsuits/patent mess than on taxes.

> deliver them." Well, not everyone does want proprietary applications! I'm
> sticking with emacs until AbiWord is ready for prime time. I am not
> looking forward to the day when I will be forced to switch to another
> operating system such as GNU/HURD becuase it becomes nearrly impossible to
> run a clean GNU/Linux system becuase GNU/Linux has gotten too popular for
> it to be free.

A lot of people passionately do not intend to let that occur. The Debian
free software guidelines for example are intended to ensure Debian stays
free software. Red Hat 5.2 puts all the commercial stuff on a seperate
CD so you know clearly what is what, and you can stick that CD in your
microwave and watch the pretty lights if you wish. You don't need it.

Both KDE and Gnome and others are working on free wordprocessing products,
they are all keen for helpers and all want it to work on your PPC

Alan

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