Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2020 20:20:33 +0000 From: Steve O'Hara-Smith <steve@sohara.org> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Cc: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> Subject: Re: Technological advantages over Linux Message-ID: <20200215202033.6c856b8f7639b304d96e68ce@sohara.org> In-Reply-To: <20200215195303.464e585a.freebsd@edvax.de> References: <20200214121620.GA80657@admin.sibptus.ru> <CAHieY7Ss0SftTD6S%2Bk2OkX-PinTwzEXGQwz1twmwZ5ZMndpc%2Bg@mail.gmail.com> <1848571509.3253011.1581719423989@mail.yahoo.com> <20200215195303.464e585a.freebsd@edvax.de>
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On Sat, 15 Feb 2020 19:53:03 +0100 Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> wrote: > On Fri, 14 Feb 2020 22:30:23 +0000 (UTC), Paul Pathiakis via > freebsd-questions wrote: > > If you're trying to convince management, I'd suggest researching > > who has based their products on FreeBSD....List of products based > > on FreeBSD > > That is a problem. Reason: > > FreeBSD's license, often criticized as a "rape me license", > allows using, modifying and redistribution software based > on FreeBSD without contributing back, or acknowledging that > FreeBSD played a significant role. The copyright notice has to be included so you can find out, for example it is no secret that Isilon OneFS is based on FreeBSD but there's a lot of proprietary code and commercial secrets in it which would be impossible under the GPL. > Of course > manufacturers won't admit they used FreeBSD when they can > advertise the software or firmware of their products as > their very own invention. :-) They do have to own up to it being there (by publishing the copyright message), they just don't have to share what they've added to it. Most do contribute back fixes and improvements that don't reveal their trade secrets partly because it's the right thing to do (the developer's reason) but perhaps mostly because maintaining patches against a moving target is a lot of work (the bean counter's reason). Enlightened self-interest is enough for most without something like the GPL to force things. -- Steve O'Hara-Smith <steve@sohara.org>
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