[Discuss] Govt Source Code Policy

IngeGNUe ingegnue at riseup.net
Fri Apr 8 21:36:50 EDT 2016


On 04/08/16 09:55, Rich Pieri wrote:
> On 4/7/2016 10:32 PM, IngeGNUe wrote:
>> No, that's exactly what I mean by privatization.
> 
> Okay. I'm cool with it.
> 
> I find it interesting that you mean this and then go on to call the GPL
> the best software license for the public good. RMS created the first GPL
> and founded the FSF because, well, to put it bluntly, he threw a temper
> tantrum when Symbolics privatized the public domain LISP interpreter he
> gave them. RMS created the GPL with the specific intent of making it
> impossible to privatize public software.
> 

We're on the same page, sorta. Perhaps I was too ambiguous -- this is me
talking about FLOSS before bed -- but what I'm implying is that:

* With copyleft, in order to privatize/proprietize this software that is
sitting in the commons, you would have to pay up (buy the rights to the
software, OR buy exceptions to the license). This is good, because the
commons should be defended (IMO).

* With a permissive license, you don't have to pay up. Just snatch it
up. Much easier to include with your private property. Doesn't do much
for the commons, and in the long run can be detrimental to said commons.

Different ideas of freedom~



More information about the Discuss mailing list