[Discuss] OSS licenses (was Home NAS redux)

[markw at mohawksoft.com (Mark Woodward)]

On 01/09/2013 11:43 AM, Rich Pieri wrote:
> Freedom is the state of being without restrictions. 

That largely depends on your view of society as a whole. Totally 
unrestrained "freedom" is not possible in populations greater than 1.  
Oliver Wendel Holmes, Jr quipped "The right to swing my fists ends where 
the other man's nose begins."

Freedom in populations greater than one is something that must be 
balanced. Two people can not be free if one believes they have the right 
to deny the other freedom. Thus, in a population of 2, "freedom" must 
have restrictions in place in order that both people remain free. If you 
take away those restrictions, then one will inevitably end up non-free.


> When comparing two licenses, the one that imposes the fewer 
> restrictions on licensees is the more free of the two.

Absolutely not. The one that balances the freedom of all the stake 
holders and prevents one from denying freedom to others is more free.

> The GPL places more restrictions on licensees than the CDDL does, 

In an effort to preserve the freedom of the software, yes. This is a 
very important distinction.

> therefore the GPL is less free than the CDDL. To turn it around: 
> compelled freedom is not freedom. 
No one is being compelled to do anything. You do not need to take 
someone else's free software, no one is forcing you. If, however, you 
wish to benefit from freedoms provided you but wish to deny other's the 
freedoms you enjoy, then you are a hypocrite.