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From: David Kastrup <dak@mailhost.neuroinformatik.ruhr-uni-bochum.de>
Subject: Re: what DOES the GPL really say?
Date: 1997/08/05
Date: 1997-08-05T00:00:00+00:00	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <m267tk8gsr.fsf@mailhost.neuroinformatik.ruhr-uni-bochum.de> (raw)
In-Reply-To: m2oh7d1rq5.fsf@devo.ridgenet.net

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Ronald Cole <ronald@ridgenet.net> writes:

> And then there's this tidbit from Stallman from the same faq:
> 
>  "The legal meaning of the GNU copyleft is less important than the
>   spirit, which is that Emacs is a free software project and that work
>   pertaining to Emacs should also be free software.  "Free" means that
>   all users have the freedom to study, share, change and improve Emacs.
>   To make sure everyone has this freedom, pass along source code when you
>   distribute any version of Emacs or a related program, and give the
>   recipients the same freedom that you enjoyed."
> 
> Here Stallman seems to freely admits that the GNU system is free, not
> because of any legal requirements in the GPL, but because the author
> (the FSF) practices the Golden Rule.  And he seems to command that
> everyone else who receives the GNU system practice it, too.

Look, Stallman is not GOD, and does not pass commandment over
mortals.  He is a man with vision and ethics, but I doubt that he aims
to force everybody to behave like him, unwilling how he might be.  The
software he manages is handed out under the GPL, and this means that
you can only use or distribute it if you comply to the licence
conditions.  As you have not signed a contract, you can feel free to
disagree with the licence conditions and not feel bound by it.  In
which case the copyright holder will not relax his rights to the
software in a way making you legally use it.

You adhere to the letter of the GPL, you can use the software,
according to the licence.  Simple as that.  Nobody "commands" you to
practice some ominous Golden Rule, or obey a secret hidden code, or
burn Microsoft Office packages at new moon.  Of course, GNU people
will be more than glad if you do those things (they help wth strange
programs, see
man pom
for an example), but they are not mandatory.


-- 
David Kastrup                                     Phone: +49-234-700-5570
Email: dak@neuroinformatik.ruhr-uni-bochum.de       Fax: +49-234-709-4209
Institut f�r Neuroinformatik, Universit�tsstr. 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany




  reply	other threads:[~1997-08-05  0:00 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 259+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
1997-05-28  0:00 gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-05-29  0:00 ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-05-30  0:00   ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-07  0:00     ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
     [not found]       ` <m2vi3kpuay.fsf@devo.ridgenet.net>
1997-06-12  0:00         ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-06-12  0:00           ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-13  0:00             ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-06-13  0:00               ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-06-16  0:00                 ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-16  0:00                   ` gnat-3.10 CHARLET Arnaud
1997-06-17  0:00                     ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-18  0:00                       ` gnat-3.10 Samuel Tardieu
1997-06-16  0:00                   ` gnat-3.10 Dale Pontius
1997-06-17  0:00                     ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-18  0:00                       ` gnat-3.10 Andrew Lynch
1997-06-18  0:00                         ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-18  0:00                       ` gnat-3.10 Dale Pontius
1997-06-17  0:00                     ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-06-18  0:00                       ` gnat-3.10 Richard Kenner
1997-06-19  0:00                     ` gnat-3.10 Arthur Schwarz
1997-06-16  0:00               ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-16  0:00                 ` Building gnat-3.10 from source (was: gnat-3.10) Larry Kilgallen
1997-06-17  0:00                   ` Ronald Cole
1997-06-17  0:00                 ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-06-20  0:00                   ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-22  0:00                     ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-23  0:00                       ` gnat-3.10 Corey Minyard
1997-07-01  0:00                         ` gnat-3.10 Richard Kenner
1997-07-01  0:00                         ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-07-01  0:00                         ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-06-23  0:00                       ` gnat-3.10 Larry Kilgallen
1997-06-27  0:00                         ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-28  0:00                           ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-06-28  0:00                           ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-06-29  0:00                             ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-30  0:00                               ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-07-01  0:00                                 ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-07-02  0:00                                   ` gnat-3.10 James Rogers
1997-07-03  0:00                                     ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-07-02  0:00                                   ` gnat-3.10 Philip Brashear
1997-07-08  0:00                                   ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-07-10  0:00                                     ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-07-11  0:00                                       ` gnat-3.10 Richard Kenner
1997-06-30  0:00                               ` gnat-3.10 Fergus Henderson
1997-06-30  0:00                               ` gnat-3.10 David Kastrup
1997-06-30  0:00                               ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-07-02  0:00                                 ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-07-03  0:00                                 ` gnat-3.10 Joerg Rodemann
1997-07-03  0:00                                 ` gnat-3.10 Daniel R Risacher
1997-07-04  0:00                                   ` gnat-3.10 David Kastrup
1997-06-28  0:00                           ` gnat-3.10 Larry Kilgallen
1997-06-23  0:00                       ` gnat-3.10 Richard Kenner
1997-06-23  0:00                       ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-06-24  0:00                         ` what DOES the GPL really say? Spam Hater
1997-06-25  0:00                           ` Richard Kenner
1997-06-25  0:00                             ` Wes Groleau
1997-06-25  0:00                               ` Paul D. Smith
1997-06-25  0:00                               ` gnat-3.10 Dale Stanbrough
1997-07-01  0:00                                 ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-07-01  0:00                                   ` gnat-3.10 James Rogers
1997-07-02  0:00                                     ` gnat-3.10 Robert Dewar
1997-07-01  0:00                                 ` gnat-3.10 Richard Kenner
1997-06-26  0:00                               ` what DOES the GPL really say? Richard Kenner
1997-06-26  0:00                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-26  0:00                                 ` Samuel Mize
1997-06-26  0:00                                   ` Wes Groleau
1997-06-26  0:00                                     ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-27  0:00                                       ` Samuel Mize
1997-06-30  0:00                                         ` Wes Groleau
1997-06-27  0:00                                     ` kdp0101
1997-06-30  0:00                                       ` Wes Groleau
1997-06-26  0:00                                   ` Thomas Bushnell, n/BSG
1997-06-27  0:00                                     ` Leslie Mikesell
1997-06-26  0:00                                   ` Thomas Bushnell, n/BSG
1997-06-26  0:00                                     ` Wes Groleau
1997-06-26  0:00                                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-29  0:00                                         ` user
1997-06-29  0:00                                           ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-29  0:00                                             ` user
1997-06-29  0:00                                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-29  0:00                                         ` Kai Henningsen
1997-07-05  0:00                                           ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-27  0:00                                       ` Stephen Leake
1997-06-27  0:00                                     ` Samuel Mize
1997-06-28  0:00                                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-30  0:00                                         ` Wes Groleau
1997-06-30  0:00                                           ` Wes Groleau
1997-06-30  0:00                                             ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-30  0:00                                       ` Thomas Bushnell, n/BSG
1997-06-30  0:00                                         ` Wes Groleau
1997-07-01  0:00                                         ` Samuel Mize
1997-06-26  0:00                                 ` Wes Groleau
1997-06-26  0:00                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-26  0:00                                 ` Samuel Mize
1997-06-26  0:00                                 ` Wes Groleau
1997-06-26  0:00                                   ` GLADE and GPL (was: what DOES the GPL really say?) Roy T. Fielding
1997-06-26  0:00                                     ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-27  0:00                                     ` David Weller
1997-06-27  0:00                                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-30  0:00                                         ` David Weller
1997-07-01  0:00                                           ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-28  0:00                                       ` Richard Kenner
1997-06-27  0:00                                         ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-28  0:00                                           ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-01  0:00                                           ` Richard Kenner
1997-06-28  0:00                                         ` Richard Kenner
1997-06-30  0:00                                         ` David Weller
1997-07-03  0:00                                         ` Steve Peltz
1997-07-04  0:00                                           ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-01  0:00                                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-02  0:00                                         ` David Weller
1997-06-27  0:00                                     ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-28  0:00                                       ` Roy T. Fielding
1997-06-29  0:00                                         ` Stefan Monnier
1997-06-29  0:00                                         ` David Kastrup
1997-06-29  0:00                                         ` Robert Dewar
     [not found]                                         ` <dewar.867554947@merv>
1997-06-30  0:00                                           ` Roy T. Fielding
     [not found]                                         ` <dewar.867556141@merv>
1997-06-30  0:00                                           ` Roy T. Fielding
1997-07-01  0:00                                             ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-26  0:00                             ` what DOES the GPL really say? David Kastrup
1997-06-27  0:00                             ` Ronald Cole
1997-06-28  0:00                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-28  0:00                                 ` Olivier Galibert
     [not found]                                   ` <dewar.867554739@merv>
1997-06-29  0:00                                     ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-30  0:00                                       ` Jon S Anthony
1997-06-30  0:00                                         ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-29  0:00                                 ` Ronald Cole
1997-06-30  0:00                                   ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-01  0:00                                 ` Richard Watts
1997-07-01  0:00                                   ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-03  0:00                                     ` Steve Peltz
1997-07-04  0:00                                       ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-04  0:00                                         ` Olivier Galibert
1997-07-08  0:00                                           ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-08  0:00                                             ` Bill Gribble
1997-07-09  0:00                                             ` David Kastrup
1997-07-09  0:00                                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-09  0:00                                                 ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-09  0:00                                               ` Richard Kenner
     [not found]                                         ` <5pmg6e$nai$1@Venus.mcs.net>
1997-07-05  0:00                                           ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-05  0:00                                           ` user
1997-07-05  0:00                                             ` Leslie Mikesell
1997-07-05  0:00                                               ` Paul Eggert
1997-07-07  0:00                                                 ` Leslie Mikesell
1997-07-06  0:00                                               ` user
1997-07-06  0:00                                                 ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-06  0:00                                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-08  0:00                                               ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-08  0:00                                           ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-08  0:00                                         ` Steve Peltz
1997-07-08  0:00                                           ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-14  0:00                                             ` Steve Peltz
1997-07-14  0:00                                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-14  0:00                                               ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-20  0:00                                               ` Ronald Cole
1997-07-21  0:00                                                 ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-21  0:00                                                   ` Ronald Cole
1997-07-22  0:00                                                     ` Isaac
1997-07-22  0:00                                                       ` Leslie Mikesell
1997-07-23  0:00                                                         ` Isaac
1997-07-23  0:00                                                           ` W. Wesley Groleau x4923
1997-07-29  0:00                                                             ` Ronald Cole
1997-07-23  0:00                                                       ` Ronald Cole
1997-07-24  0:00                                                         ` Isaac
1997-07-25  0:00                                                           ` B.Stephens
1997-07-29  0:00                                                           ` Ronald Cole
1997-07-24  0:00                                                         ` David Kastrup
1997-07-23  0:00                                                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-29  0:00                                                         ` Ronald Cole
1997-07-30  0:00                                                           ` Joe Buck
1997-07-23  0:00                                                       ` David Kastrup
1997-07-27  0:00                                                     ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-29  0:00                                                       ` Ronald Cole
1997-07-21  0:00                                                 ` Richard Kenner
1997-07-21  0:00                                                 ` Samuel Tardieu
1997-07-23  0:00                                                 ` Chris Morgan
1997-07-29  0:00                                                   ` Ronald Cole
1997-07-30  0:00                                                     ` Chris Morgan
1997-08-04  0:00                                                       ` Ronald Cole
1997-08-05  0:00                                                         ` David Kastrup [this message]
1997-08-09  0:00                                                           ` David Masterson
1997-08-11  0:00                                                             ` David Kastrup
     [not found]                                                         ` <dewar.870872644@merv>
     [not found]                                                           ` <dewar.870873584@merv>
1997-08-12  0:00                                                             ` Ronald Cole
1997-08-13  0:00                                                               ` David Kastrup
1997-08-13  0:00                                                                 ` Ronald Cole
1997-08-15  0:00                                                               ` Isaac
1997-08-19  0:00                                                                 ` Ronald Cole
1997-08-16  0:00                                                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-08-16  0:00                                                                 ` Thomas Koenig
1997-08-17  0:00                                                                 ` Leslie Mikesell
1997-08-19  0:00                                                                   ` Ronald Cole
1997-08-20  0:00                                                                 ` Mike Stump
1997-08-20  0:00                                                                   ` Robert Dewar
1997-08-21  0:00                                                                     ` Thomas Koenig
1997-08-21  0:00                                                                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-08-21  0:00                                                                       ` Robert Dewar
     [not found]                                                                         ` <EFIyr0.Erq@kithrup.com>
     [not found]                                                                           ` <34032CE9.77E@link.com>
1997-08-27  0:00                                                                             ` Robert Dewar
     [not found]                                                                               ` <5u11n0$emm@fg70.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de>
1997-08-27  0:00                                                                                 ` Robert Dewar
1997-08-27  0:00                                                                                 ` Simon Wright
1997-08-21  0:00                                                                     ` Paul Lyon
1997-08-22  0:00                                                                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-08-21  0:00                                                                   ` egcs (Re: what DOES the GPL really say?) Marinos J. Yannikos
1997-08-21  0:00                                                                     ` Andreas Schwab
1997-08-20  0:00                                                                 ` what DOES the GPL really say? Ronald Cole
1997-08-20  0:00                                                                   ` Robert Dewar
1997-08-25  0:00                                                                     ` Ronald Cole
     [not found]                                                                     ` <hjb-3008970231180001@chaos.dial.idiom.com>
1997-09-02  0:00                                                                       ` Ted Goldblatt
1997-09-02  0:00                                                                         ` Hwa-Jin Bae
1997-09-03  0:00                                                                           ` Ted Goldblatt
1997-09-03  0:00                                                                             ` Hwa-Jin Bae
1997-09-07  0:00                                                                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-09-05  0:00                                                                             ` Robert Dewar
1997-09-08  0:00                                                                               ` Ted Goldblatt
1997-09-08  0:00                                                                               ` Mark Wooding
1997-09-09  0:00                                                                                 ` Isaac
1997-09-05  0:00                                                                           ` Robert Dewar
1997-09-05  0:00                                                                         ` Robert Dewar
     [not found]                                                         ` <33E974F3.1AAC@ix.netcom.com>
1997-08-12  0:00                                                           ` Ronald Cole
1997-08-12  0:00                                                             ` Chris Morgan
1997-08-16  0:00                                                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-08-19  0:00                                                               ` Ronald Cole
1997-08-21  0:00                                                                 ` Richard Kenner
1997-08-25  0:00                                                                   ` Ronald Cole
     [not found]                                                                     ` <5tujkj$qr9$1@news.nyu.edu>
1997-08-29  0:00                                                                       ` Ronald Cole
1997-08-30  0:00                                                                         ` Richard Kenner
1997-08-30  0:00                                                                           ` Toon Moene
     [not found]                                                                             ` <5ubkbp$e69$1@news.nyu.edu>
1997-08-31  0:00                                                                               ` Toon Moene
1997-09-01  0:00                                                                                 ` Craig Burley
1997-09-01  0:00                                                                               ` Craig Burley
1997-09-02  0:00                                                                           ` Ronald Cole
1997-09-05  0:00                                                                             ` Richard Kenner
1997-09-06  0:00                                                                               ` Remy Card
1997-09-07  0:00                                                                                 ` rosalia
1997-09-10  0:00                                                                                 ` Richard Kenner
1997-09-11  0:00                                                                                   ` egcs. Was: " David Kastrup
1997-08-13  0:00                                                           ` David Kastrup
1997-07-23  0:00                                                 ` David Kastrup
1997-06-30  0:00                               ` Thomas Bushnell, n/BSG
1997-07-01  0:00                                 ` Scott Michel
1997-07-01  0:00                                   ` Thomas Bushnell, n/BSG
1997-07-02  0:00                                     ` David Weller
1997-07-02  0:00                                       ` Thomas Bushnell, n/BSG
1997-07-02  0:00                                         ` Mark Atwood
1997-07-02  0:00                                           ` Matthew S. Whiting
1997-07-06  0:00                                         ` Stefan Monnier
1997-07-02  0:00                                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-07-02  0:00                                     ` Rand Kant Hegel with Aristotle ? Wes Groleau
1997-07-07  0:00                                       ` Thomas Bushnell, n/BSG
1997-07-08  0:00                                         ` Michael F Brenner
1997-07-09  0:00                                           ` Thomas Bushnell, n/BSG
1997-06-27  0:00                           ` what DOES the GPL really say? Robert Dewar
1997-06-27  0:00                           ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-30  0:00                             ` Wes Groleau
1997-06-17  0:00                 ` gnat-3.10 Pascal Obry
1997-06-16  0:00             ` gnat-3.10 Joerg Rodemann
1997-06-17  0:00               ` gnat-3.10 Ronald Cole
1997-06-12  0:00         ` gnat-3.10 Stephen Leake
1997-06-14  0:00         ` gnat-3.10 Jerry van Dijk
  -- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
1997-09-01  0:00 what DOES the GPL really say? Richard Stallman
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