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: 1025b4,1d8ab55e71d08f3d X-Google-Attributes: gid1025b4,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,1efdd369be089610 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: thomas@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Thomas Bushnell, n/BSG) Subject: Re: what DOES the GPL really say? Date: 1997/06/26 Message-ID: #1/1 X-Deja-AN: 252802205 References: <33B014E3.3343@no.such.com> <5oqp9s$7vj$1@news.nyu.edu> <33B13BF6.79C7@no.such.com> <33B2ABA6.2A44C487@link.com> Organization: Free Software Foundation, Cambridge, MA Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada,gnu.misc.discuss Date: 1997-06-26T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: Samuel Mize writes: > However, his company refuses to distribute the sources for their > product. So, since he can't distribute it appropriately, he says > he can't incorporate it. > But some people go into a religious frenzy if you say you "can't" > incorporate GPL'd code into your product. You CAN, they say, but > your company CHOOSES not to because of the distribution requirement. That's the absolutely correct response. People tend to box themselves in, and then say "I can't do X" or "I must do X". But when the restriction is only there because of a prior choice to box themselves in, they should not say "can't" or "must" in these contexts. They should say "I chose box A, and X, which comes along with A." People forget that, in general, they *chosse* who to work for--they *choose* to have children--they *choose* to drive a car, etc. Nearly every time I hear someone say "can't" or "must" they are talking about something which they have actually chosen, and want to avoid (internal or external) criticism about their choice. Thomas