From owner-freebsd-current Mon Feb 19 02:55:29 1996 Return-Path: owner-current Received: (from root@localhost) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.3/8.7.3) id CAA19370 for current-outgoing; Mon, 19 Feb 1996 02:55:29 -0800 (PST) Received: from haywire.DIALix.COM (root@haywire.DIALix.COM [192.203.228.65]) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.3/8.7.3) with SMTP id CAA19361 for ; Mon, 19 Feb 1996 02:55:23 -0800 (PST) Received: (from news@localhost) by haywire.DIALix.COM (8.6.12/8.6.12) id SAA27982 for freebsd-current@freebsd.org; Mon, 19 Feb 1996 18:56:04 +0800 Received: from GATEWAY by haywire.DIALix.COM with netnews for freebsd-current@freebsd.org (problems to: usenet@haywire.dialix.com) To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Date: 19 Feb 96 10:46:24 GMT From: peter@jhome.DIALix.COM (Peter Wemm) Message-ID: Organization: DIALix Services, Perth, Australia. References: <199602172331.QAA15534@rover.village.org>, <199602181815.KAA07119@GndRsh.aac.dev.com> Subject: Re: Hysterical Raisons Sender: owner-current@freebsd.org Precedence: bulk rgrimes@GndRsh.aac.dev.com (Rodney W. Grimes) writes: >> >> : Actually, both versions of Ghostscript are free, it's just that >> : version 2 uses the GNU copyright, and version 3 uses Aladdin's >> : copyright. >> >> For a suitible definition of the word free :-). Aladdin's copyright >> is basically GPL + "You can't sell this for money." I think that's >> why Aladdin's relatively good version isn't on the cds. >Hummmm... that seems to be in conflict with the GPL itself. >From the preamble, paragraph 2: >GPL2> When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not >GPL2> price. Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you >GPL2> have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >GPL2> this service if you wish), that you receive source code or can get it > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >GPL2> if you want it, that you can change the software or use pieces of it >GPL2> in new free programs; and that you know you can do these things. >Then in the ``precise termas and conditins'', clause 1, paragraph 2: >GPL2> You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, and >GPL2> you may at your option offer warranty protection in exchange for a fee. >Now the real question is does Ghostscript version 3 fall under the GPL... No. The author owns the copyright.. He can specify any terms and conditions of copying he likes. In the ghostscript 3 case, he accepted commercial support to financially support it's development in return for exclusive commercial rights. The License it's distributed under has some similarity to GPL when used in a non-commercial context, but is most definately not GPL. Although Ghostscript3 is no longer under GPL copying conditions, gs-2.6 is still GPL'ed. Nobody can stop that from being distributed. IMHO, As much as I dislike some of the strings attached in the GPL, this is a saving grace. Cheers, -Peter >-- >Rod Grimes rgrimes@gndrsh.aac.dev.com >Accurate Automation Company Reliable computers for FreeBSD