Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on March 29, 2006 06:59 AM
Had there been an equivalent C compiler under the BSD license, then perhaps you are right. This is one of the reasons I think the BSD license is often a BAD THING -- because its proponents (who act as members of the so-called 'free software' community) often promote their openness to code robbery, which does nothing but damage everyone in the process.
Of course, it's often the case that the GPL does entice people to give their code (just not directly). Since the GPL is far more habitable to most developers (especially corporate contributors), GPL projects tend to advance light years ahead their counterparts. (The Linux kernel and all of the wonderful contributions is a good example of that.)
And so your options become:
1) Take some decent BSD-licensed software and make a proprietary product. 2) Contribute to a BSD-licensed project, knowing that your competitor could easily turn around and do #1 to you. You'll get the thanks of the community, and their help making your stuff better, but be prepared to take it in the rear. 3) Base your product off of an excellent piece of GPL-licensed software. Your product will be improved by the community, who will thank you for your contribution greatly. Your competition cannot get a leg up on you, just because you decided to play open-source.
Not everyone chooses #3. But quite a few do.
Of course, BSD developers are free to develop any code they want using any license they want, and for that matter, say whatever they want about the benefits of their creations.
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Re:Don't moan about Sun
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on March 29, 2006 06:59 AMOf course, it's often the case that the GPL does entice people to give their code (just not directly). Since the GPL is far more habitable to most developers (especially corporate contributors), GPL projects tend to advance light years ahead their counterparts. (The Linux kernel and all of the wonderful contributions is a good example of that.)
And so your options become:
1) Take some decent BSD-licensed software and make a proprietary product.
2) Contribute to a BSD-licensed project, knowing that your competitor could easily turn around and do #1 to you. You'll get the thanks of the community, and their help making your stuff better, but be prepared to take it in the rear.
3) Base your product off of an excellent piece of GPL-licensed software. Your product will be improved by the community, who will thank you for your contribution greatly. Your competition cannot get a leg up on you, just because you decided to play open-source.
Not everyone chooses #3. But quite a few do.
Of course, BSD developers are free to develop any code they want using any license they want, and for that matter, say whatever they want about the benefits of their creations.
Most of us though seem to go GPL.
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