Re: GNAT GPL 2005: Too clever by half?

[Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org>]

"Marc A. Criley" <mcNOSPAM@mckae.com> writes:
> Maybe AdaCore is smarter than we've realized, intentionally or perhaps
> accidentally?
>
> Consider this scenario:
[...]
> DTraq has been licensed under the GMGPL, as has most other GNAT aided
> software developed by Ada enthusiasts.  If I were to use the new GNAT
> GPL 2005, I would pretty much be driven to changing that to the full
> GPL.
>
> And then it struck me.
>
> So what?
[...]
> So here's the net result:
[...]
> On the other hand, if you're a greedy proprietary capitalist
> developing a product whose external functionality and use is language
> independent, GPL GNAT 2005 is also just fine, since by the requisite
> GPLing of your application, it will keep the vast majority of your
> customers from taking your source code and doing anything other than
> reading it.  All they'll be able to do with your product then is _use_
> it (and perhaps modify it on their own, _if_ they have the expertise
> to do so).
>
> I'm mulling this over...

Couldn't your customer also redistribute your sources to someone else,
who might otherwise have paid you for a copy of your product?

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
San Diego Supercomputer Center             <*>  <http://users.sdsc.edu/~kst>
We must do something.  This is something.  Therefore, we must do this.