Re: Why is OSS Commercial Software So Expensive?

[Stephen Leake <stephen_leake@stephe-leake.org>]

Samuel Tardieu <sam@rfc1149.net> writes:

>>>>>> "Pascal" == Pascal Obry <pascal@obry.net> writes:
>
> Pascal> Samuel Tardieu a �crit :
>>> Well, not only, AdaCore also sells a non-GPL version of the
>>> compiler with the guarantee that it is ok to use it in a
>>> proprietary context.
>
> Pascal> Isn't this the case with GNAT/FSF too ?
>
> No: the FSF doesn't give you a *guarantee* (in the form of a signed
> document). If someone stands up and says "you cannot use this part of
> GNAT in a proprietary context because I have a copyright on this part
> and didn't allow it to be used in such context", AdaCore would handle
> the problem and deal with the claim (if you have the signed
> guarantee), while you have no such guarantee with the FSF.

There is not a signed document between each user and the FSF, but the
FSF does defend it's copyright on gcc components, and is careful about
getting ownership of the code.

So it's not as bad as using Linux.

-- 
-- Stephe