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,faf964ea4531e6af X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Thread: 1025b4,43ae7f61992b3213 X-Google-Attributes: gid1025b4,public From: Barry Margolin Subject: Re: GPL and "free" software Date: 1999/05/06 Message-ID: #1/1 X-Deja-AN: 474832930 Distribution: world References: <7fibd5$jc7$1@news2.tor.accglobal.net> <7gpvsh$tdm$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com> <7gqjpa$9cp$1@eyry.econ> <7gqrbf$mun$1@nnrp1.deja.com> X-Abuse-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly X-Complaints-To: abuse@gte.net X-Trace: /Kw5eCmC/McteJx5tROR++IZ14pPmmgi7OaGrx0mIxlhaUucQuiXKwU6Gbqt8ZMsDhofNRo85wT0!d3vffsaoPHzsjIhftGJG5A5c3gz0ZQLAI1dyrwmZbYoXaxnYeXVPAy5ZH+y8Eg== Organization: GTE Internetworking, Cambridge, MA X-Copies-To: never NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 18:19:03 GMT Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada,gnu.misc.discuss Originator: barmar@bbnplanet.com (Barry Margolin) Date: 1999-05-06T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: In article <7gqrbf$mun$1@nnrp1.deja.com>, Robert Dewar wrote: >In article <7gqjpa$9cp$1@eyry.econ>, > hawk@eyry.econ.iastate.edu (Richard E. Hawkins Esq.) wrote: > >> Also, RMS's opinion on what is valid weighs in at about five billion >> and one--after every one else on the planet. In interpreting >> a document, the opinion of the author is the *very* last thing >> to consider. For that matter, general contract principles call >> for interpreting any ambiguity *against* the author. > >Well I would not be so quick to assume this. After all the GPL >was reviewed by lawyers whose retainer *was* paid :-) The GPL never specifically addresses the issue we're discussing. It's all post facto posturing by RMS, as he tries to figure out how to apply the GPL to situations that didn't exist when it was written. What he feels is a logical extension of the spirit of the GPL may not in fact be supported by copyright law. -- Barry Margolin, barmar@bbnplanet.com GTE Internetworking, Powered by BBN, Burlington, MA *** DON'T SEND TECHNICAL QUESTIONS DIRECTLY TO ME, post them to newsgroups. Please DON'T copy followups to me -- I'll assume it wasn't posted to the group.