Re: [way OT] Re: GPL and other licenses (was ANN: XML Marshalling for Objective C on OS X)
Re: [way OT] Re: GPL and other licenses (was ANN: XML Marshalling for Objective C on OS X)
- Subject: Re: [way OT] Re: GPL and other licenses (was ANN: XML Marshalling for Objective C on OS X)
- From: Jeff Harrell <email@hidden>
- Date: Sun, 22 Jun 2003 10:59:14 -0500
On Sunday, June 22, 2003, at 04:28 AM, Wade Tregaskis wrote:
For instance, I'm happy to have my code used by anyone and everyone as
they please (i.e. public domain, BSD license etc), except evil satanic
illegal monopolies.
No offense, but that sounds like precisely the sort of thing that
pisses me off so much about this whole subject. It's the air of...
disapproval. Of righteous indignation. Of anti-establishment arrogance.
"I don't like your politics," you seem to be saying, "so I will attempt
to discriminate against you via my software license."
What you're talking about is essentially equivalent to releasing your
software with a note attached that says, "Anybody can use this except
gays, Jews, and people who hang their toilet paper rolls underhand
instead of overhand." Yes, you have the absolute, unquestioned,
unalienable right to do that as the author of your work. But just
because you can do it doesn't mean it's the right thing. Either put
your work in the public domain so anybody can use it, or maintain your
copyright so everybody has to ask your permission. Those are the only
fair and just options open to you.
The right answer for you, in my opinion, is for you to release your
code with copyright intact. Copyright is recognized in uniform ways by
international treaties. Your work will be protected. Do not try to be
clever. Do not try to change the world. Do not mix your politics with
your programming. It's unnecessary, and it just complicates matters,
not to mention giving a huge segment of the world's population (the
"capitalists," we call ourselves) a reason to really dislike you a lot.
Now, don't misunderstand. I'm not saying that I *do* dislike you. I've
never met you in my life. I'm just saying that what you're talking
about gives a complete stranger such as myself a reason to, and that
can't be good.
--
email@hidden
http://homepage.mac.com/jharrell
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