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GPLed software is not legally free.
Only software distributed with no license at all is legally free. The GPL is admirably, artfully, and life-givingly crafted to compel specific downstream-of-distribution behaviors through legal encumbrance. Legally encumbered software is not legally free software. Period.

We will know that the free software movement--where "GPLed" is treated as a synonym for "legally free"--has grown up when it stops using the word *free* of legally encumbered software. Until then, the movement's use of the word *free* to mean "encumbered by the GPL" will continue to be an immovable stumbling block to those for whom English, as Senator Sam Ervin put it, is their mother tongue.
Posted by: TriangleDoor   Posted on: 09/28/09  (Edited: 09/28/2009 @ 06:50) You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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GPLed software is not legally free.  TriangleDoor | 09/28/09
If that is the definition you are using  Michael Kelly | 09/28/09
Very nicely put (NT)  balaknair | 09/28/09
Now you're onto something.  TriangleDoor | 09/28/09
Eschew obuscation  hamobu | 09/28/09
Eschew thoroughly  DanaBlankenhorn ZDNet Moderator | 09/28/09
Licensing, not copyright, is the core of the "free" software debate.  TriangleDoor | 09/28/09
I am sorry for the confusion.  hamobu | 09/28/09
Avoid Freedom hating medical devices  connor33 | 09/28/09
FLOSS?  DanaBlankenhorn ZDNet Moderator | 09/28/09
re: GPLed software is not legally free.  none none | 09/28/09
Good point.  TriangleDoor | 09/28/09
Legally Free?  twaynesdomain | 09/30/09
You're right. And so you also see the problem...  TriangleDoor | 10/01/09
FOSS should stand its course  Linux Geek | 09/28/09
Yawn. Your trolls have become  GuidingLight | 09/28/09
And yet here you are...  TriangleDoor | 09/28/09
RE: I for one welcome no overlords  balaknair | 09/28/09
I like both Stallman and Microsoft  DanaBlankenhorn ZDNet Moderator | 09/28/09
One good thing about Microsoft and IBM is...  hamobu | 09/28/09
We SHOULD reject Stallman  electronista | 09/28/09
Personalizing ideas is a mistake  DanaBlankenhorn ZDNet Moderator | 09/28/09
re: We SHOULD reject Stallman  none none | 09/28/09
If the future of computing is the smartphone, we have a new overlord  NonZealot | 09/28/09
Fortunately, Apple does not have that kind of market share yet  Michael Kelly | 09/28/09
Except that Apple DOES have that kind of marketshare  NonZealot | 09/28/09
Yes, Apple is worse than Microsoft...  hamobu | 09/28/09
Growing distaste?  mjasay | 09/28/09
Leading the witness with a question-mark-punctuated headline?  TriangleDoor | 09/28/09
I'm a regular reader  DanaBlankenhorn ZDNet Moderator | 09/28/09
Free market in software leads to Monopoly  hamobu | 09/28/09
Wow  koolarry@... | 09/28/09
Apple could take more marketshare if it wanted to  connor33 | 09/28/09
Your assertion is highly debatable  hamobu | 09/28/09
Apple could take more marketshare if it wanted to??  twaynesdomain | 09/30/09
Why wasn't this article on the cover page?  connor33 | 09/28/09
This is gibberish - you don't know what FOSS means  jimmyed2000 | 10/01/09

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