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Groups > comp.lang.forth > #8427 > unrolled thread

GPL and commercial Forths

Started byBrad <hwfwguy@gmail.com>
First post2011-12-29 09:30 -0800
Last post2012-01-03 16:09 +0000
Articles 20 on this page of 101 — 11 participants

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  GPL and commercial Forths Brad <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2011-12-29 09:30 -0800
    Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2011-12-29 10:34 -0800
      Re: GPL and commercial Forths Brad <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2011-12-29 10:50 -0800
        Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2011-12-29 12:11 -0800
        Re: GPL and commercial Forths "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2011-12-29 17:58 -0500
          Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2011-12-29 16:26 -0800
            Re: GPL and commercial Forths "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2011-12-30 13:40 -0500
              Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2011-12-30 15:21 -0800
                Re: GPL and commercial Forths "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2011-12-31 05:51 -0500
                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2011-12-31 10:48 -0800
          Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2011-12-30 04:35 -0600
            Re: GPL and commercial Forths "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2011-12-30 13:41 -0500
              Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2011-12-30 22:12 +0100
              Re: GPL and commercial Forths Brad <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2011-12-30 13:58 -0800
              Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2011-12-30 17:03 -0600
                Re: GPL and commercial Forths "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2011-12-31 21:10 -0500
                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-01-01 05:21 -0600
                    Re: GPL and commercial Forths Fritz Wuehler <fritz@spamexpire-201201.rodent.frell.theremailer.net> - 2012-01-02 00:45 +0100
                      Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-01-01 17:59 -0600
                      Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-01 16:23 -0800
                      Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-01-02 01:27 +0100
                        Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-01-01 18:35 -0600
                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths Albert van der Horst <albert@spenarnc.xs4all.nl> - 2012-01-02 10:47 +0000
            Re: GPL and commercial Forths Fritz Wuehler <fritz@spamexpire-201201.rodent.frell.theremailer.net> - 2012-01-01 19:03 +0100
              Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-01-01 21:19 +0100
              Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-01-01 17:35 -0600
              Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-01 16:36 -0800
                Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-01-02 14:18 +0100
                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-05 05:14 -0800
                    Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-01-05 19:16 +0100
                      Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-05 14:09 -0800
              Re: GPL and commercial Forths Brad <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2012-01-01 17:37 -0800
      Re: GPL and commercial Forths Albert van der Horst <albert@spenarnc.xs4all.nl> - 2011-12-30 11:15 +0000
        Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2011-12-30 09:56 -0800
    Re: GPL and commercial Forths cas_news@strotmann.de (Carsten Strotmann (Usenet)) - 2011-12-29 19:44 +0100
      Re: GPL and commercial Forths anton@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at (Anton Ertl) - 2011-12-30 12:51 +0000
        Re: GPL and commercial Forths Brad <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2011-12-30 07:55 -0800
          Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2011-12-30 10:48 -0800
          Re: GPL and commercial Forths anton@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at (Anton Ertl) - 2011-12-31 13:49 +0000
        Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-03 13:21 +0000
          Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-03 05:53 -0800
            Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-03 16:41 +0000
    Re: GPL and commercial Forths Brad <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2011-12-29 11:04 -0800
    Re: GPL and commercial Forths anton@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at (Anton Ertl) - 2011-12-30 12:44 +0000
    Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-01 10:12 +0000
      Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-01-01 15:34 +0100
        Re: GPL and commercial Forths "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-01-01 08:50 -1000
          Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-01 13:13 -0800
        Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-02 10:46 +0000
          Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-02 14:17 -0800
            Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-03 12:39 +0000
              Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-03 05:43 -0800
          Re: GPL and commercial Forths Albert van der Horst <albert@spenarnc.xs4all.nl> - 2012-01-03 11:53 +0000
            Re: GPL and commercial Forths cas_news@strotmann.de (Carsten Strotmann (Usenet)) - 2012-01-03 13:23 +0100
            Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-03 13:06 +0000
              Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-03 06:14 -0800
                Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-03 15:53 +0000
                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-03 09:19 -0800
                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-03 09:46 -0800
                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-03 15:12 -0800
                    Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-04 03:43 +0000
                      Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-03 22:53 -0800
                        Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-06 07:30 +0000
                          Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-01-06 14:19 +0100
                            Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-06 16:06 +0000
                              Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-01-06 10:26 -0600
                                Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-01-06 22:16 +0100
                                Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-08 07:18 +0000
                                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-01-08 07:16 -0600
                          Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-06 07:33 -0800
                          Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-06 08:12 -0800
                            Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-08 09:02 +0000
                              Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-01-08 07:23 -0600
                                Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-08 14:07 +0000
                                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-01-08 08:32 -0600
                                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-08 08:36 -0800
                              Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-08 07:46 -0800
                              Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-08 08:23 -0800
                                Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-08 17:07 +0000
                                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-08 10:48 -0800
                                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-08 11:10 -0800
                                    Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-09 11:01 +0000
                                      Re: GPL and commercial Forths Brad <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2012-01-10 17:26 -0800
                                        Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-11 03:00 +0000
                                          Re: GPL and commercial Forths Albert van der Horst <albert@spenarnc.xs4all.nl> - 2012-01-11 12:10 +0000
                                            Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-11 13:21 +0000
                                          Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-01-11 05:57 -0600
                                            Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-01-11 16:17 +0100
                                              Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-11 09:21 -0800
                                            Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-11 16:35 +0000
                                              Re: GPL and commercial Forths Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-01-11 11:01 -0600
                                              Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-01-11 18:55 +0100
                                                Re: GPL and commercial Forths Brad <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2012-01-13 07:56 -0800
                                                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-13 08:42 -0800
                                                    Re: GPL and commercial Forths Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-01-13 19:20 +0100
                                                      Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-13 14:01 -0800
                                                    Re: GPL and commercial Forths Arnold Doray <invalid@invalid.com> - 2012-01-14 03:37 +0000
                                                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths Albert van der Horst <albert@spenarnc.xs4all.nl> - 2012-01-14 11:57 +0000
                                            Re: GPL and commercial Forths BruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net> - 2012-01-11 09:32 -0800
                                  Re: GPL and commercial Forths Albert van der Horst <albert@spenarnc.xs4all.nl> - 2012-01-09 01:58 +0000
            Re: GPL and commercial Forths anton@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at (Anton Ertl) - 2012-01-03 16:09 +0000

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#8427 — GPL and commercial Forths

FromBrad <hwfwguy@gmail.com>
Date2011-12-29 09:30 -0800
SubjectGPL and commercial Forths
Message-ID<1e521ca6-fef7-4ad7-98d1-9dda4a2a0e4e@dp8g2000vbb.googlegroups.com>
Are GPL applications written for commercial (or other non-GPL) Forths
compatible with GPL? According to http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#FSWithNFLibs
it seems they are not.

What constitutes a library in Forth? The CORE wordset? Non-ANS
extensions? If I use "dot", that is statically linked to #, which is
statically linked to UM/MOD, HOLD, etc. The "library" is an intrinsic
part of the Forth implementation. You can't just roll your own GPL
Forth library. You can, but it's like writing a whole new Forth.

-Brad

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#8428

FromBruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net>
Date2011-12-29 10:34 -0800
Message-ID<de9fe0c7-652c-4eb8-954b-5441f76d12da@v13g2000yqc.googlegroups.com>
In reply to#8427
On Dec 29, 12:30 pm, Brad <hwfw...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Are GPL applications written for commercial (or other non-GPL)
> Forth compatible with GPL? According to
>   http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#FSWithNFLibs
> it seems they are not.

What does the word "compatible with" mean? If the GPL application was
*written for* a commercial Forth, it ought to include the conveyance
permission described at that site. Indeed, it seems like a generic
conveyance exception for the Forth interpreter used to compile the
application could be drawn up for Forth source that someone wanted to
release under the GPL but wanted to allow it to be used in
applications compiled on commercial implementations.

The issue would rather arise when using part of a GPL application
*not* "written for" a commercial Forth. As always under copyright, if
the copyright holder has not granted permission in advance for the use
that you wish, then permission needs to be sought. The original author
can, of course, release the source under as many different licenses as
they wish to, subject to limitations imposed by work that *they* made
use of.

> What constitutes a library in Forth? The CORE wordset? Non-ANS
> extensions? If I use "dot", that is statically linked to #,
> which is statically linked to UM/MOD, HOLD, etc. The "library" is
> an intrinsic part of the Forth implementation. You can't just roll
> your own GPL Forth library. You can, but it's like writing a whole
> new Forth.

For the original author who wishes to release a portable open source
Forth application, the simple answer is just to give permission to
compile it on a commercial system and distribute the result subject to
distributing the application source blah blah blah.

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#8430

FromBrad <hwfwguy@gmail.com>
Date2011-12-29 10:50 -0800
Message-ID<10f439f3-3464-431c-b348-948348bca3bf@u6g2000vbc.googlegroups.com>
In reply to#8428
On Dec 29, 11:34 am, BruceMcF <agil...@netscape.net> wrote:
> For the original author who wishes to release a portable open source
> Forth application, the simple answer is just to give permission to
> compile it on a commercial system and distribute the result subject to
> distributing the application source blah blah blah.

Suppose the only Forth for a particular CPU is a commercial one, and
it includes an API (which you need to use) for a particular system.
Maybe the vendor makes it available for cheap or free, but it's still
proprietary.

How does this impact the four freedoms of GPL? GPL is supposed to
provide a way to enforce them so that free software stays free. If use
of non-GPL tools removes GPL's teeth then it's the wrong form of
copyleft.

-Brad

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#8439

FromBruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net>
Date2011-12-29 12:11 -0800
Message-ID<77c781e7-6689-4b5b-a9e9-9dcc152344b1@v24g2000yqk.googlegroups.com>
In reply to#8430
On Dec 29, 1:50 pm, Brad <hwfw...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Dec 29, 11:34 am, BruceMcF <agil...@netscape.net> wrote:

>> For the original author who wishes to release a portable open source
>> Forth application, the simple answer is just to give permission to
>> compile it on a commercial system and distribute the result
>> subject to distributing the application source blah blah blah.

> Suppose the only Forth for a particular CPU is a commercial one, and
> it includes an API (which you need to use) for a particular system.
> Maybe the vendor makes it available for cheap or free, but it's still
> proprietary.

> How does this impact the four freedoms of GPL? GPL is supposed to
> provide a way to enforce them so that free software stays free.

And so it does. They may be constrained *by present circumstance* to a
single proprietary implementation, but they are not legally bound to
that implementation, so they are not forbidden from taking advantage
if new opportunities open up.

The more of Forth applications targeting that CPU are under the GPL,
the more of the ecosystem supporting the use of the proprietary
implementation can be adopted by an open source Forth that is
developed to target that CPU.

Indeed, the larger the share of Forth application sources targeting
that CPU that is under the GPL, the greater the incentive to target
that CPU with an open-source Forth implementation.

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#8447

From"Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm>
Date2011-12-29 17:58 -0500
Message-ID<jdir69$9fp$1@speranza.aioe.org>
In reply to#8430
"Brad" <hwfwguy@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:10f439f3-3464-431c-b348-948348bca3bf@u6g2000vbc.googlegroups.com...
>
> GPL is supposed to provide a way to enforce [freedoms] so that free
> software stays free.
>

Public Domain (no copyright), and minimal term MIT and BSD licenses ensure
that "free software stays free" ...  Why do we need the extra terms and more
restrictive terms of the GPL?  Even if the GPL initiated the FOSS movement,
it's not FOSS anymore by comparison.

> If use of non-GPL tools removes GPL's teeth then it's the
> wrong form of copyleft.

Why would "free software" have any "teeth" at all?  Software with "teeth" is
associated with copyrighted and commercial software which is not free in the
least.  I.e., the GPL has a socialist mindset, i.e., the works of others
should be works of all.  Socialism is a failure.  You've bought into that
ideology.


Rod Pemberton







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#8451

FromBruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net>
Date2011-12-29 16:26 -0800
Message-ID<9f0bd7a1-e7f4-40bc-91fe-c468eb45866c@f33g2000yqh.googlegroups.com>
In reply to#8447
On Dec 29, 5:58 pm, "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_h...@noavailemail.cmm>
wrote:

> Public Domain (no copyright), and minimal term MIT and BSD licenses
> ensure that "free software stays free" ...

Public Domain certainly did not prove to work out that way in the 80's
and 90's.

Whether MIT and BSD do is subject to lots of argument.

As far as "Socialism failed", as a pure system so has Capitalism ...
indeed, repeatedly. Pure ideologies are not as robust as pragmatic
mixed systems, since any pure ideology has an Achilles Heel.

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#8487

From"Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm>
Date2011-12-30 13:40 -0500
Message-ID<jdl0er$s49$1@speranza.aioe.org>
In reply to#8451
"BruceMcF" <agila61@netscape.net> wrote in message
news:9f0bd7a1-e7f4-40bc-91fe-c468eb45866c@f33g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
> On Dec 29, 5:58 pm, "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_h...@noavailemail.cmm>
> wrote:
>
> > Public Domain (no copyright), and minimal term MIT and BSD
> > licenses ensure that "free software stays free" ...
>
> Public Domain certainly did not prove to work out that way in
> the 80's and 90's.

I don't recall much Public Domain in the 80's and 90's.  I recall a bunch of
pre-FOSS ideology licenses: share-ware, postcard-ware, no military-use-ware,
no government-use-ware, register-with-the-author-ware, etc.  Of course, one
"negative" of FOSS, at least from the perspective of all the no goverment or
no military use licenses, is that FOSS allows, even encourages, government
and military use.  Isn't that the same as the essentially the same mentality
as the "no corporate use" or "no for profit use" ideologies implicitly
espoused by most pro-GPL users?  Why did they accept military and government
use?

> As far as "Socialism failed", as a pure system so has Capitalism ...
> indeed, repeatedly.

Which is "winning"?  Even China and India are, albeit abysmally slow,
shifting ...

Which is more preferred by the majority of those that must live within the
economic ideology?


Rod Pemberton


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#8505

FromBruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net>
Date2011-12-30 15:21 -0800
Message-ID<16bae103-3f1d-4a03-ac52-6070e8e43033@v13g2000yqc.googlegroups.com>
In reply to#8487
On Dec 30, 1:40 pm, "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_h...@noavailemail.cmm>
wrote:

> "BruceMcF" <agil...@netscape.net> wrote ...

>> On Dec 29, 5:58 pm, "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_h...@noavailemail.cmm>
>> wrote:

>>> Public Domain (no copyright), and minimal term MIT and BSD
>>> licenses ensure that "free software stays free" ...

>> Public Domain certainly did not prove to work out that way in
>> the 80's and 90's.

> I don't recall much Public Domain in the 80's and 90's.

Yes, that's what I said. Public Domain did not ensure that "free
software stays free" in the 80's and 90's. It stopped being a
cooperative endeavor, and become something to be mined without
contributing back to.

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#8511

From"Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm>
Date2011-12-31 05:51 -0500
Message-ID<jdmpbb$juu$1@speranza.aioe.org>
In reply to#8505
"BruceMcF" <agila61@netscape.net> wrote in message
news:16bae103-3f1d-4a03-ac52-6070e8e43033@v13g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...

> Yes, that's what I said. Public Domain did not ensure that
> "free software stays free" in the 80's and 90's.

It predates the entire concept of FOSS.

I'd think if those guys were aware of such a concept, we wouldn't have see
such widespread variety in their licenses.  Back then, people thought they
could make money on simple programs.  So, you still would've seen most
software with a commercial license.


RP


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#8520

FromBruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net>
Date2011-12-31 10:48 -0800
Message-ID<512b49c0-0f00-4114-994c-72f5eb1d35ed@f1g2000yqi.googlegroups.com>
In reply to#8511
On Dec 31, 5:51 am, "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_h...@noavailemail.cmm>
wrote:
> "BruceMcF" <agil...@netscape.net> wrote in message
>
> news:16bae103-3f1d-4a03-ac52-6070e8e43033@v13g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...

>> Yes, that's what I said. Public Domain did not ensure that
>> "free software stays free" in the 80's and 90's.

> It predates the entire concept of FOSS.

> I'd think if those guys were aware of such a concept, we wouldn't
> have see such widespread variety in their licenses.

They were of course aware of the concept of public domain, since early
arguments in favor of open source software praised the benefits of
public domain software and lamented the way that the wave of
commercialization had placed so much further development on the back
of public domain software behind a paywall, interfering with further
development.

The notion that they would have just used Public Domain if they had
been aware of the concept appears to be simple ignorance of the
history.

> Back then, people thought they could make money on simple programs.

If "back then" means by the 1980's, there *were* people making money
on simple programs. And also people making money on more complex
public domain programs developed in the 60's and 70's, with a light
gloss of their own added on top.

> So, you still would've seen most software with a commercial license.

The FOSS movement started as an effort to allow an open software
alternative to that.

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#8466

FromAndrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid>
Date2011-12-30 04:35 -0600
Message-ID<x-ednSMDBdhtDmDTnZ2dnUVZ_gudnZ2d@supernews.com>
In reply to#8447
Rod Pemberton <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> wrote:
> "Brad" <hwfwguy@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:10f439f3-3464-431c-b348-948348bca3bf@u6g2000vbc.googlegroups.com...
>>
>> GPL is supposed to provide a way to enforce [freedoms] so that free
>> software stays free.
> 
> Public Domain (no copyright), and minimal term MIT and BSD licenses
> ensure that "free software stays free" ...  Why do we need the extra
> terms and more restrictive terms of the GPL?

Because without the GPL, there is nothing to stop somone from taking
free software, extending it, and making it proprietary.  With the GPL,
everyone has the right to the extended version as well as the
original.  So, the GPL is effectively *less* restrictive than the MIT
and BSD licenses: with the GPL, everyone has the right to both
versions.  The GPL provides the recipients of the software more
freedom, but they have to respect everyone else's freedom too.

Andrew.

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#8488

From"Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm>
Date2011-12-30 13:41 -0500
Message-ID<jdl0h8$sdc$1@speranza.aioe.org>
In reply to#8466
"Andrew Haley" <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> wrote in message
news:x-ednSMDBdhtDmDTnZ2dnUVZ_gudnZ2d@supernews.com...
> Rod Pemberton <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> wrote:
> > "Brad" <hwfwguy@gmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:10f439f3-3464-431c-b348-948348bca3bf@u6g2000vbc.googlegroups.com...
> >>
> >> GPL is supposed to provide a way to enforce [freedoms] so that free
> >> software stays free.
> >
> > Public Domain (no copyright), and minimal term MIT and BSD licenses
> > ensure that "free software stays free" ...  Why do we need the extra
> > terms and more restrictive terms of the GPL?
>
> Because without the GPL, there is nothing to stop somone from
> taking free software, extending it, and making it proprietary.

That's freedom too ...  They and everyone else are free to use it for
private, public, commercial, non-commercial, government, academic, research,
military, or whatever ...  How is that not free?  The problem here seems to
be the "us vs. them" mentally.  I.e., "'They' are 'stealing' our 'free'
software by using it.  'They' must 'pay' us for their use with their code
changes."

Here, think about this:

If a company can make some changes to a piece of software that started out
as FOSS, and that piece of software allows them to hire and employ a
thousand programmers or a thousand stock brokers or a thousand engineers for
at least a decade.  Isn't that a huge benefit to society economically,
especially a capitalist society?  Yes, it is.  Now, what if they change that
software and are forced by the license to release that code which eliminates
their ability to profit from it?  That's very bad for society ...  The
reality is we and most of the rest of the world are capitalist societies or
rapidly progressing towards them.

> So, the GPL is effectively *less* restrictive than the MIT
> and BSD licenses: with the GPL, everyone has the right to both
> versions.

Constraints are only *less* restrictive from a socialist perspective ...
I.e., *everyone* owns the rights to *everything* produced by others.
Don't you live in a capitalist society?  Most of the world does or will.


Rod Pemberton

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#8494

FromBernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de>
Date2011-12-30 22:12 +0100
Message-ID<jdl9gc$n1$1@online.de>
In reply to#8488
Rod Pemberton wrote:
>> Because without the GPL, there is nothing to stop somone from
>> taking free software, extending it, and making it proprietary.
> 
> That's freedom too ...

Well, is it freedom when people are allowed to enslave other people?  Is 
it freedom to take away rights from other people?

> Here, think about this:
> 
> If a company can make some changes to a piece of software that started
> out as FOSS, and that piece of software allows them to hire and employ
> a thousand programmers or a thousand stock brokers or a thousand
> engineers for at least a decade.

Well, why on earth do you need to make that software proprietary to do 
so?  This is a non-conclusive argument.  You could argue that slavery is 
necessary, because then a company can enslave a thousand stock brokers 
or whatever, and that would be a great benefit to society (no big bonus 
needed for them), and of course the enslaved stock brokers should 
realize that their personal freedom is much less important than the 
greater good.

Oops, I've heard these arguments before.  I can assure you, they came 
from communist or fashist leaders.

Companies have taken FOSS software, and make profit, even though it 
stays FOSS.  Some of them use the in-house clause (which only works, 
because employees are slaves), so they don't have to re-share.

> Constraints are only *less* restrictive from a socialist perspective
> ... I.e., *everyone* owns the rights to *everything* produced by
> others.

You really don't understand.  If I own a tangible thing, let's say my 
bike, it is by nature of the thing an exclusive ownership - there is 
only one bike, and only one person can ride it at a time.  If I give it 
to you, I don't have it any longer.  The economic term for this is 
"rivalrous good".

This is not true for software.  If I give you Gforth, I still have 
Gforth myself.  We both have it.  We both can modify it, and 
redistribute it.  Everybody on earth can have it at the same time, 
without conflict.  The economic term for this is "non-rivalrous good".  
We need artificial limitations like copyrights or patents, which forbit 
other people to do things with their own property, to make software, 
art, music, movies, etc. to appear to be rivalrous goods, which they 
aren't.

> Don't you live in a capitalist society?  Most of the world does or
> will.

No, actually, I don't want to live in a truely capitalistic society.  
This is a dogmatic society where money (and big bosses) is king, and 
people are enslaved by companies.  I really don't understand why 
corporatism (that's what it really is) is such a good idea.  I know 
pretty well why communism isn't a good idea, since I've enough 
connections to China, and that was a huge experiment field for communist 
ideas.

The main conclusion there is that people like to work on their own 
premises, and not on collectivized ones.  Now, the collective, that was 
a village, i.e. some hundred people who knew each others well and were 
often related with each others, so it really shouldn't be that hard to 
make this work - but it didn't.

So, what is a corporation for the employees?  A collective.  You don't 
own the results of your work, they are owned by the company.  People do 
not naturally like to work in such an environment.  Companies often 
behave in many ways like (real) communist collectives, they have 
dictatorical hierarchies, they try to enforce rules through punishment, 
they make three- or five-years plans (which never work out), etc.

There is a natural necessity for that, that's called the "economy of 
scale".  Many things can't be done by individuals.  Or loosely coupled 
teams.  However, we know, software can be done that way.  That's why 
open source can produce big software (which needs a larger team to be 
successful), because even though every player works on his own, they 
have to make their work available to others.

So if you don't recall much free software in the pre-GPL days, it's 
because the GPL wasn't there, and most public domain software then was 
done by individuals or very small teams, who often quickly abandoned 
their work.  The volksForth team had abandoned their work to me, and I 
first made it commercial (since I was young, and didn't understand), but 
soon I released most of it (modified) again under GPL, that's what's now 
Gforth.

The exception were university works, which is where we have the 
BSDL/MITL from.  The contributors in fact also did quickly abandon their 
work, because they were students, but the project as a hole lived on.

-- 
Bernd Paysan
"If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself"
http://bernd-paysan.de/

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#8497

FromBrad <hwfwguy@gmail.com>
Date2011-12-30 13:58 -0800
Message-ID<f3cee956-11cf-42a6-a9c1-162574fe7b4f@y7g2000vbe.googlegroups.com>
In reply to#8488
On Dec 30, 11:41 am, "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_h...@noavailemail.cmm>
wrote:
> > Because without the GPL, there is nothing to stop somone from
> > taking free software, extending it, and making it proprietary.
>
> That's freedom too ...  They and everyone else are free to use it for
> private, public, commercial, non-commercial, government, academic, research,
> military, or whatever ...  How is that not free?  The problem here seems to
> be the "us vs. them" mentally.  I.e., "'They' are 'stealing' our 'free'
> software by using it.  'They' must 'pay' us for their use with their code
> changes."
No, I think they are pretty clear that 'free' means 'unencumbered'.
You need new methods to profit from it, but the focus is on keeping
software unencumbered as it matures. Presumably so it can do the
greatest good.

I used to view RMS's GPL as an effort to cram some weird socialism
down the throat of industry, or some attempt to "stick it to the man",
but it's more than that. It's about giving freedom to a person's
intellectual offspring. Granted, they are some ugly babies.

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#8503

FromAndrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid>
Date2011-12-30 17:03 -0600
Message-ID<av6dnWD2FqrU3mPTnZ2dnUVZ_sidnZ2d@supernews.com>
In reply to#8488
Rod Pemberton <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> wrote:
> "Andrew Haley" <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> wrote in message
> news:x-ednSMDBdhtDmDTnZ2dnUVZ_gudnZ2d@supernews.com...
>> Rod Pemberton <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> wrote:
>> > "Brad" <hwfwguy@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> > news:10f439f3-3464-431c-b348-948348bca3bf@u6g2000vbc.googlegroups.com...
>> >>
>> >> GPL is supposed to provide a way to enforce [freedoms] so that free
>> >> software stays free.
>> >
>> > Public Domain (no copyright), and minimal term MIT and BSD licenses
>> > ensure that "free software stays free" ...  Why do we need the extra
>> > terms and more restrictive terms of the GPL?
>>
>> Because without the GPL, there is nothing to stop somone from
>> taking free software, extending it, and making it proprietary.
> 
> That's freedom too ...

Yes, but it's a freedom that impinges on the freedom of their users. 

> They and everyone else are free to use it for private, public,
> commercial, non-commercial, government, academic, research,
> military, or whatever ...  How is that not free?  The problem here
> seems to be the "us vs. them" mentally.  I.e., "'They' are
> 'stealing' our 'free' software by using it.  'They' must 'pay' us
> for their use with their code changes."

If they want to redistribute it, yes, they must.

The goal is to maximize the amount of software that respects the four
freedoms, which are:

    The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).

    The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it
    does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source
    code is a precondition for this.

    The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor
    (freedom 2).

    The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to
    others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community
    a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code
    is a precondition for this.

Allowing people to take free software and distribute it in such a way
that does not respect these freedoms, is not in accordance with these
goals.

> Here, think about this:
> 
> If a company can make some changes to a piece of software that
> started out as FOSS, and that piece of software allows them to hire
> and employ a thousand programmers or a thousand stock brokers or a
> thousand engineers for at least a decade.  Isn't that a huge benefit
> to society economically, especially a capitalist society?  Yes, it
> is.  Now, what if they change that software and are forced by the
> license to release that code which eliminates their ability to
> profit from it?

This scenario sounds very unlikely.  Why would they not be able to
hire and employ programmers in a way that repects freedom?  But even
if your scenario were true, it wouldn't matter.  This is an ethical
question: a matter of right and wrong.  You must respect the freedom
that allowed you access to the code; you must allow everyone else the
same freedoms that you were given.

It's a deal freely entered into, and no-one is forcing anyone to use
free software.

>> So, the GPL is effectively *less* restrictive than the MIT
>> and BSD licenses: with the GPL, everyone has the right to both
>> versions.
> 
> Constraints are only *less* restrictive from a socialist perspective
> ...  I.e., *everyone* owns the rights to *everything* produced by
> others. 

That is nonsense.  Everyone has the right to use free software, for
any purpose.  If you don't want to use it, don't use it.

> Don't you live in a capitalist society?  Most of the world does or
> will.

I live in a mixed economy.  Most people do.

Andrew.

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#8536

From"Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm>
Date2011-12-31 21:10 -0500
Message-ID<jdof6f$bme$1@speranza.aioe.org>
In reply to#8503
"Andrew Haley" <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> wrote in message
news:av6dnWD2FqrU3mPTnZ2dnUVZ_sidnZ2d@supernews.com...
> Rod Pemberton <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> wrote:
> > "Andrew Haley" <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> wrote in message
> > news:x-ednSMDBdhtDmDTnZ2dnUVZ_gudnZ2d@supernews.com...
> >> Rod Pemberton <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> wrote:
> >> > "Brad" <hwfwguy@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >> >
news:10f439f3-3464-431c-b348-948348bca3bf@u6g2000vbc.googlegroups.com...
> >> >>
> >> >> GPL is supposed to provide a way to enforce [freedoms] so that free
> >> >> software stays free.
> >> >
> >> > Public Domain (no copyright), and minimal term MIT and BSD licenses
> >> > ensure that "free software stays free" ...  Why do we need the extra
> >> > terms and more restrictive terms of the GPL?
> >>
> >> Because without the GPL, there is nothing to stop somone from
> >> taking free software, extending it, and making it proprietary.
> >
> > That's freedom too ...
>
> Yes, but it's a freedom that impinges on the freedom of their users.
>

So?  Without individual rights, the rights of the majority would suppress
you (or enslave you) for the better good or because they can ...  Your
individual rights are what make you free.  Those rights impinge upon the
rights of others.  I.e., if you own property, they have no right to walk
upon it or enter into it.  You've impinged upon their freedom of movement.

> The goal is to maximize the amount of software that respects the four
> freedoms, which are:
>
>     The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
>

Don't BSD and MIT and Public Domain do that?  Doesn't the GPL terms restrict
"for any purpose"?

>     The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it
>     does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source
>     code is a precondition for this.
>

Don't BSD and MIT and Public Domain do that too?  I guess there could be
some PD binaries ...  I'm not sure who exactly you're thinking of whom would
release a BSD or MIT binary without source.

>     The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor
>     (freedom 2).
>

Don't BSD and MIT and Public Domain do that?  Didn't you mean "source
copies" to be clear of "binary copies" ...?

>     The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to
>     others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community
>     a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code
>     is a precondition for this.
>

Don't BSD and MIT and Public Domain do that too?

Well?  Why do you need GPL?  It appears to me BSD, MIT, and PD do all that.

> Allowing people to take free software and distribute it in such a way
> that does not respect these freedoms, is not in accordance with these
> goals.

You phrase "does not respect these freedoms" violates freedom 0,
specifically the "for any purpose" clause ...  You can't have both.  "For
any purpose" would include for-profit, private, military, etc.  Why does
FOSS have "goals"? That impinges upon the freedom of the end-user of the
software.

> Why would they not be able to
> hire and employ programmers in a way that repects freedom?

Competition.  Take a brokerage.  It runs software to make money.  If all
their competitors had their software, they couldn't make any money.
Numerous other businesses make their money from internal software: airlines,
package shipping, manufacturing, etc.  The key to most businesses is not
customer support or a quality product but the software that runs their
operations.


Rod Pemberton

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#8547

FromAndrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid>
Date2012-01-01 05:21 -0600
Message-ID<GsydnbeAYZwD3J3SnZ2dnUVZ_qadnZ2d@supernews.com>
In reply to#8536
Rod Pemberton <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> wrote:
> "Andrew Haley" <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> wrote in message
> news:av6dnWD2FqrU3mPTnZ2dnUVZ_sidnZ2d@supernews.com...
>> Rod Pemberton <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> wrote:
>> > "Andrew Haley" <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> wrote in message
>> > news:x-ednSMDBdhtDmDTnZ2dnUVZ_gudnZ2d@supernews.com...
>> >> Rod Pemberton <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> wrote:
>> >> > "Brad" <hwfwguy@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> >> >
> news:10f439f3-3464-431c-b348-948348bca3bf@u6g2000vbc.googlegroups.com...
>> >> >>
>> >> >> GPL is supposed to provide a way to enforce [freedoms] so that free
>> >> >> software stays free.
>> >> >
>> >> > Public Domain (no copyright), and minimal term MIT and BSD licenses
>> >> > ensure that "free software stays free" ...  Why do we need the extra
>> >> > terms and more restrictive terms of the GPL?
>> >>
>> >> Because without the GPL, there is nothing to stop somone from
>> >> taking free software, extending it, and making it proprietary.
>> >
>> > That's freedom too ...
>>
>> Yes, but it's a freedom that impinges on the freedom of their users.
> 
> So?  

Because that's the whole point of the GPL.

> Without individual rights, the rights of the majority would suppress
> you (or enslave you) for the better good or because they can ...
> Your individual rights are what make you free.  Those rights impinge
> upon the rights of others.  I.e., if you own property, they have no
> right to walk upon it or enter into it.  You've impinged upon their
> freedom of movement.

Indeed, and individual rights include the right to develop and use
free software and insist that it's only used in programs that are also
free software.  As an individual developer, you have to right to
decide how your software is used.

>> The goal is to maximize the amount of software that respects the four
>> freedoms, which are:
>>
>>     The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
> 
> Don't BSD and MIT and Public Domain do that?  Doesn't the GPL terms restrict
> "for any purpose"?

No, there are no restrictions on what GPL software may be used for.

>>     The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it
>>     does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source
>>     code is a precondition for this.
> 
> Don't BSD and MIT and Public Domain do that too?  I guess there
> could be some PD binaries ...  I'm not sure who exactly you're
> thinking of whom would release a BSD or MIT binary without source.

I don't think that either of these licences provides access to source
code, but I don't have an encyclopaedic knowledge of free software
licences.

>>     The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor
>>     (freedom 2).
> 
> Don't BSD and MIT and Public Domain do that?  Didn't you mean "source
> copies" to be clear of "binary copies" ...?

BSD and MIT are free software licences.  They have problems, and in
many areas aren't as good as the GPL, but it's still free software.

>>     The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to
>>     others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community
>>     a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code
>>     is a precondition for this.
> 
> Don't BSD and MIT and Public Domain do that too?

As above, I don't think that either provide access to the source.

> Well?  Why do you need GPL?  It appears to me BSD, MIT, and PD do
> all that.

Because BSD and MIT and Public Domain don't do this.  It's quite
possible to ship such code in a way that doesn't respect those
freedoms.  The GPL makes sure that can't happen.

>> Allowing people to take free software and distribute it in such a way
>> that does not respect these freedoms, is not in accordance with these
>> goals.
> 
> You phrase "does not respect these freedoms" violates freedom 0,
> specifically the "for any purpose" clause ...  You can't have both.  "For
> any purpose" would include for-profit, private, military, etc.

Yes, absolutely.  All of this is allowed.

> Why does FOSS have "goals"?

Of course free software (or rather, the free software movement) has
goals.  Why not?

> That impinges upon the freedom of the end-user of the software.

This makes no sense.

>> Why would they not be able to hire and employ programmers in a way
>> that respects freedom?
> 
> Competition.  Take a brokerage.  It runs software to make money.  If all
> their competitors had their software, they couldn't make any money.

So, they develop and use the software in house.  There's no rule
against that.  They don't have to release their software in any form.

Andrew.

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#8576

FromFritz Wuehler <fritz@spamexpire-201201.rodent.frell.theremailer.net>
Date2012-01-02 00:45 +0100
Message-ID<617fd7b6f7abce0dad3fe772637ef79c@msgid.frell.theremailer.net>
In reply to#8547
Remember folks, Andy is a GPL stooge because he gets paid by Red Hat to
write GPL software. If he had to get an honest job and absorb the R&D costs
himself I doubt he'd be singing the same twisted tune. But he might, GPL is
a virus and the only cure is reality they can't face.

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#8577

FromAndrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid>
Date2012-01-01 17:59 -0600
Message-ID<Ur2dnYJO0aLrbp3SnZ2dnUVZ_qSdnZ2d@supernews.com>
In reply to#8576
Fritz Wuehler <fritz@spamexpire-201201.rodent.frell.theremailer.net> wrote:
> Remember folks, Andy is a GPL stooge because he gets paid by Red Hat
> to write GPL software.

It's actually the other way around.

Andrew.

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#8578

FromBruceMcF <agila61@netscape.net>
Date2012-01-01 16:23 -0800
Message-ID<4a1ec0b1-bee2-42bd-8297-fad25bac02ef@p16g2000yqd.googlegroups.com>
In reply to#8576
On Jan 1, 6:45 pm, Fritz Wuehler
<fr...@spamexpire-201201.rodent.frell.theremailer.net> wrote:
> Remember folks, Andy is a GPL stooge because he gets paid by Red Hat to
> write GPL software. If he had to get an honest job and absorb the R&D
> costs himself I doubt he'd be singing the same twisted tune.

Actually, having to absorb R&D costs yourself can make GPL'd source
more attractive, since it can substantially reduce R&D costs.

> But he might, GPL is a virus and the only cure is reality they
> can't face.

Its only a "virus" if the capabilities offered by the GPL'd code is
too compelling to step away from.

And if the capabilities offered by the GPL'd code are too compelling
to step away from, then under capitalism the creators of that code
have the right to specify the terms under which it is used.

Taking away their right to do so requires over-riding copyrights,
taking away individual rights in the name of some ideology that
doesn't like what those author's did *with* their individual rights.

But where is the limit of that? After all, the argument that copyright
depends on the creators using it in a way that the user approves of is
commonplace among internet media pirates and commercial software
pirates. And "we get to use whatever we want" may well win in a
popularity contest over whatever ideology you are trying to impose
here.

Accepting the general principle that the ideology of the user can over-
ride the copyright protection granted to the creator seems to be more
dangerous to the commercial interests of commercial software companies
than accepting the right of open-source creators to place whatever
limits *they* wish to put on their creations that they are entitled
to, under the institution of copyright.

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