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Date:      Sat, 6 Apr 2002 08:45:29 +0200
From:      Rahul Siddharthan <rsidd@online.fr>
To:        Terry Lambert <tlambert2@mindspring.com>
Cc:        Greg Pavelcak <gpav@som.umass.edu>, freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Use/Utilize
Message-ID:  <20020406064529.GB1426@lpt.ens.fr>
In-Reply-To: <3CAE3C62.4012DA04@mindspring.com>
References:  <20020405183857.GA58446@oitunix.oit.umass.edu> <20020405231950.B63981@lpt.ens.fr> <3CAE3C62.4012DA04@mindspring.com>

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Terry Lambert said on Apr  5, 2002 at 16:08:02:
> > Actually I think the distinction is probably one of Brett's and Terry's
> > fantasies.  They mean the same in ordinary English and I'll be
> > surprised if there is a distinction in law (IANAL but nor are they).
> 
> Your definitions ignore the fact that "use" can be a noun, an
> intransitive verb, or a transitive verb.
> 
> The word "utilize" is *only* a transitive verb.
> 
> The GPL "uses" (8-)) the word in its least common application,
> where the word "utilize" would serve better, and therfore
> attempts to muddy the waters regarding derivitive works
> (utilizing the code) vs. operation of the application (using
> the code).

Excuse me.  It looks like a transitive verb in both of these phrases,
to me, at least; and I find it quite legitimate to write that
derivative works "use" the code while operation of the application
"utilizes" the code.  

In fact, if I follow Merriam-Webster's suggestions, I'd prefer to
"use" the code in a run-of-the-mill derivative work (embedding a GPL'd
FFT routine in a program of my own) but "utilize" the code in a novel
application (utilize an FFT to do fast multiplications of large
integers). 

- Rahul

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