Re: problems installing xquartz
Re: problems installing xquartz
- Subject: Re: problems installing xquartz
- From: "James K. Lowden" <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:22:12 -0500
On Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:34:09 -0800
Jeremy Huddleston Sequoia <email@hidden> wrote:
> > X11 is open source software, so are all those license agreements
> > really necessary?
>
> Yes, OSS has licenses.
Yes, OSS has licenses, but not End User License Agreements. No open
source license imposes restrictions on the *user*. Last I checked, X11
belongs to the Open Group and is governed by the MIT license.
According to the language in e.g. Core.h, it simply disclaims all
warranties and grants unlimited permissions provided the copyright
statement remains attached to any distributed copy. There is nothing
for the user to agree to unless and until he becomes a distributor.
And the terms of the license apply regardless of whether or not he
clicked "I agree" when installing the software.
A cynic might suggest that Apple wants its customers not to distinguish
between free and non-free software, to think all software comes with
strings attached, that those strings are inscrutable, and to just say
Yes. But it might just be more convenient, administratively, for
Apple to pour the x.org license into its installation mold. Put
another way,
Never ascribe to malice
that which can be explained by stupidity.
-- H.L. Menken
--jkl
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