Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on July 16, 2006 08:37 AM
Freedom is for people, the GPL is about freeing software
It sounds as if you haven't read the GPL, then. It is about the freedom of people to do certain things with the software, not the freedom of the software to do anything, as if it could of its own accord.
What I find truly repugnant is someone who restricts my rights and tells me its for my own good.
You seem to be referring to the GPL with this remark, so I'll assume you feel that the GPL restricts your rights in a repugnant manner. First, if you are using someone else's program, and that program is released under the GPL, you are free to not use it. You are not, however, free to restrict that freedom from others, any more than you are free to shut someone up when you have a difference of opinion. Second, the only thing the GPL restricts you from doing is restricting other's rights concerning the same piece of software. It is not, and never has been, anyone's right to change the terms of someone else's software license. If you feel that is a repugnant restriction of your rights, then you are arrogant beyond belief.
It implies that you feel you have the right to take someone else's program, which they released under license terms of their choosing, and to change those terms against the will of the publisher, presumabley for your benefit alone. It is a parasitic attitude to want to benefit from someone else's work without contributing or allowing others the same benefits. It is extremely selfish to say the least.
Learn about Linux
Download Linux
Get Linux help
Re:It's more important that people be free....
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on July 16, 2006 08:37 AMIt sounds as if you haven't read the GPL, then. It is about the freedom of people to do certain things with the software, not the freedom of the software to do anything, as if it could of its own accord.
You seem to be referring to the GPL with this remark, so I'll assume you feel that the GPL restricts your rights in a repugnant manner. First, if you are using someone else's program, and that program is released under the GPL, you are free to not use it. You are not, however, free to restrict that freedom from others, any more than you are free to shut someone up when you have a difference of opinion. Second, the only thing the GPL restricts you from doing is restricting other's rights concerning the same piece of software. It is not, and never has been, anyone's right to change the terms of someone else's software license. If you feel that is a repugnant restriction of your rights, then you are arrogant beyond belief.
It implies that you feel you have the right to take someone else's program, which they released under license terms of their choosing, and to change those terms against the will of the publisher, presumabley for your benefit alone. It is a parasitic attitude to want to benefit from someone else's work without contributing or allowing others the same benefits. It is extremely selfish to say the least.
#