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Date:      Tue, 24 Apr 2001 21:48:59 -0400
From:      "Thomas M. Sommers" <tms2@mail.ptd.net>
To:        chat@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Stallman now claims authorship of Linux
Message-ID:  <3AE62D0A.39B6C58B@mail.ptd.net>
References:  <Pine.BSO.4.21.0104160733390.11039-100000@aphex.newgold.net> <3ADBACF9.E7E3419@mail.ptd.net> <20010417201150.A60285@happy.checkpoint.com> <3ADCEACD.118161C@mail.ptd.net> <20010424221227.A10177@happy.checkpoint.com>

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Anatoly Vorobey wrote:
> 
> On Tue, Apr 17, 2001 at 09:15:57PM -0400, Thomas M. Sommers wrote:
> > > On Mon, Apr 16, 2001 at 10:39:53PM -0400, Thomas M. Sommers wrote:
> > > > On http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html Stallman say, "The BSD developers were inspired to make their work free software by the example of the GNU Project ... ."  But
> > > > on http://www.gnu.org/ he also says, "The GNU Project was launched in 1984 ... ."  Since the first Berkeley tape was sent out in 1978, it seems Mr. Stallman has also
> > > > invented time travel.
> > >
> > > The first freely redistributable BSD code was the Networking Release 1, of
> > > 1989.
> >
> > But that was not the first BSD release that was distributed essentially for free, even if only to those who had an AT&T license already.  It is not the case, as Stallman
> > suggests, that the people at Berkeley were keeping their software secret until he came along, and showed them the path of righteousness.
> 
> Stallman does not suggest that. He suggests that BSD developers were inspired
> by GNU to make their work *free software*, rather than merely free. 

He does indeed suggest something like that.  I admit that I don't see
the difference between free software and free software.

> He is
> not talking about cost (nor was Berkeley software distributed for free in
> terms of cost), he's talking about freedom of use, as he usually does; 

The cost was not more than the same kind of media and shipping costs
that the FSF charges.  As for freedom of use, it was and is freer than
GNU software.

> and
> Berkeley code was *not* free to redistribute before 1989, so it was not
> free software.

But the restrictions were not imposed by UCB.  BSD code was as free as
it could have been under the circumstances.

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