From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,1efdd369be089610 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Thread: 1025b4,1d8ab55e71d08f3d X-Google-Attributes: gid1025b4,public From: Ronald Cole Subject: Re: what DOES the GPL really say? Date: 1997/07/21 Message-ID: #1/1 X-Deja-AN: 258044348 Sender: ronald@devo.ridgenet.net References: <5ph4g5$sbs$1@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> <5pim4l$5m3$1@news.nyu.edu> <5ptv7r$4e2$1@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> <5pu5va$64o$1@news.nyu.edu> <5qdof6$iav$1@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> Organization: RidgeNet - SLIP/PPP Internet, Ridgecrest, CA. (760) 371-3501 Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada,gnu.misc.discuss Date: 1997-07-21T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: dewar@merv.cs.nyu.edu (Robert Dewar) writes: > Nope, I just think you don't understand things very well, even after > all this discussion. You apparently think that people should be forced > (by threat of fines? jail? ...?) to give you their software. Sorry, > the world is not like that, and the GPL *definitely* does not have this > in mind. This just shows that you still don't understand my argument. I'll spell it out for you yet again... According to the Manifesto, Stallman had to write GNU so that he could share it with other people who liked it *and* so that everyone would be able to obtain good system software free. Stallman also said that he is required to consider it wrong for one to hoard information. I believe the GPL should embody these principles because no one is forced to use GNU software. If you received and modified GNU software, you shouldn't be required to share it, *unless* you have engaged in the act of "distribution". Once you have distributed, being selective about further distributions is indistinguishable from "hoarding", and I believe Stallman is morally bound to consider it wrong (assuming he actually meant what he wrote in the Manifesto). I've stated that I don't believe making snapshots available for testing to be "distributing". However, you've previously posted that 3.10 is the latest "production release" of GNAT and that ACT's customers have been enjoying it for quite a while. *That*, in my opinion, is the act of "distributing". You are free to believe that being selective in distributing is not tantamount to hoarding, but you have yet to provide an argument to support that belief. -- Forte International, P.O. Box 1412, Ridgecrest, CA 93556-1412 Ronald Cole Phone: (760) 499-9142 President, CEO Fax: (760) 499-9152 My PGP fingerprint: E9 A8 E3 68 61 88 EF 43 56 2B CE 3E E9 8F 3F 2B