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Date:      Fri, 16 Apr 1999 02:40:04 -0400
From:      Lee Cremeans <lcremeans@erols.com>
To:        rick hamell <hamellr@dsinw.com>
Cc:        chat@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: What's wrong with GPL? (was Re: Jordan the Confused)
Message-ID:  <19990416024004.A731@erols.com>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.3.91.990415225959.18984B-100000@dsinw.com>; from rick hamell on Thu, Apr 15, 1999 at 11:23:20PM -0700
References:  <Pine.LNX.4.04.9904152249400.26803-100000@hades.riverstyx.net> <Pine.BSF.3.91.990415225959.18984B-100000@dsinw.com>

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On Thu, Apr 15, 1999 at 11:23:20PM -0700, rick hamell wrote:
> 
> > There've been a couple people complaining about the GPL on this list in
> > the past few messages -- any particular reason why?  RMS is a bit of a
> > prick (especially recently -- I can't believe he wants to rename Linux to
> > GNU/Linux because it tends to ship with Gnu tools), but I don't see a
> > problem with the actual license.
> 
> 	This was my questions too. What makes GPL worse then the FreeBSD 
> licence? Maybe it's more obvious if I wasn't a relative newbie.

Well, the difference is that the BSD license is friendlier to people who
want to "borrow" BSD code to use in a closed-source project. The GPL
requires that all modifications to GPL'd code stay under the GPL, making it
a pain to use when you want to make proprietary enhancements to it. BSD,
however, just asks that you give credit where it's due.

The GPL reflects a vision of RMS's where all software is free (i.e. comes
with buildable source etc.).  Not everyone wants to go quite that far. 

(as for RMS being a prick about GNU/Linux, I think he's just jealous because
Linux beat him to having a working kernel by several years...remember, GNU
was intended to be a full Unix clone.)

-lee

-- 
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
|      Lee Cremeans -- Manassas, VA, USA  (WakkyMouse on WTnet)      |  
|         lcremeans@erols.com | http://wakky.dyndns.org/~lee         |


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