1998-09-30 - Re: propose: `cypherpunks license’ (Re: Wanted: Twofish source code)

Header Data

From: Ben Laurie <ben@algroup.co.uk>
To: rms@gnu.org
Message Hash: 4813c9468a4bb680463e5aecd1ce5068599fa5cc6344fc0d3ad15b2637c2c39c
Message ID: <36134ACF.A09E1263@algroup.co.uk>
Reply To: <199809281845.TAA18662@server.eternity.org>
UTC Datetime: 1998-09-30 20:28:40 UTC
Raw Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 04:28:40 +0800

Raw message

From: Ben Laurie <ben@algroup.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 04:28:40 +0800
To: rms@gnu.org
Subject: Re: propose: `cypherpunks license' (Re: Wanted: Twofish source code)
In-Reply-To: <199809281845.TAA18662@server.eternity.org>
Message-ID: <36134ACF.A09E1263@algroup.co.uk>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Richard Stallman wrote:
> It isn't surprising that people who want to write non-free software
> are disappointed that the GNU project won't help them.  What is
> amazing is that they feel this is unfair.  They have no intention of
> letting me use their source code in my programs--so why should they be
> entitled to use my source code in their programs?  These people seem
> to think that their selfishness entitles them to special treatment.

a) Who ever said this was unfair?

b) Several of the people who are complaining are about the GPL are not
people who want to use GPLed software, but people who want to release
their software under a free licence and think GPL isn't the right one.

c) In my experience GPL stops many companies from even considering using
code. A less restrictive licence gets it through the door, and they
later come to understand the benefit of freeing the source, even though
they are not obliged to. OK, so sometimes we lose under this scheme, but
sometimes we gain. 

d) As far as I can work out, someone who wants to free part of a
product, but not all of it, can't practically do so under GPL.

Cheers,

Ben.

-- 
Ben Laurie            |Phone: +44 (181) 735 0686| Apache Group member
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