Do we need the GPL anymore?
mitch @ 10:41 pm on August 9, 2005
This question has been popping up lately… my thoughts: Its those dumb proprietary companies that feel the need to own. The answer: YES! without a doubt we still need the GPL. Why? because not everyone in this world stands for what the GPL does. The GPL is freedom, freedom from being controled by some corporation or government or person. The Internet is freedom, and it was built on free software. People by nature demand such things, however, people also get very greedy and will pervert ideas to where they make sence for why you need to give up your freedom. Clue to the proprietary companies that want to write software for Linux, Go ahead, but you need to follow the rules… if *you* don’t write *every bit* of the code yourself, *you must* follow the rules laid out by the the license of the software you use. These rules are no different than what you end up doing in traditional software, Linux however has all the cool stuff thats free. Its easy to see why they want to use it, but for some reason don’t think they should have to follow the rules (which can include giving away all your source code as well). If you don’t like it, stay out of the kitchen. Those are the rules. Take it or leave it.
Heres a really good writeup on the subject: Qt, the GPL, Business and Freedom
Give it a read. Its worth it.
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