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Linux Licensing != communism
OK, maybe in theory, but history shows that communism in practise winds up being forced upon people. Using GPL software as your base means that you enter into the contract to give back, knowing the terms up front. Want to stand upon the shoulders of giants without giving back? Do diligent research to find BSD licensed software and use that as your base.

Here is a non-software example: home owners associations. The only reason I am in one now is my wife owned a home before we met. I moved in after we got married and now share that home. I despise HOAs, because I am forced to pay a yearly fee to a group that tells me what I can and can't do with my property. I put up with it now, because that was the pre-existing state in the neighborhood, and I CHOSE to move there. When we decide to sell and buy elsewhere, you can rest assured that our new home will NOT be in an area that falls under an HOA.

To summarize: my point is that to use or not use GPL is a choice. Use it if it meets your needs, find something else if you don't. Also, nothing is stopping anyone from building and application from "scratch" and retaining full copyrights to it and deciding to release none of the source.
Posted by: mjollnir   Posted on: 10/05/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Linux Licensing != communism  mjollnir | 10/05/05
More to the point  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/05/05
horse-trading is barter...  Anton Philidor | 10/05/05
More Western than Middle  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/05/05
Bartering is what capitolism is all about  voska | 10/06/05
Well stated, Linux is not the right platform  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/05/05
Ah yes... more FUD  Michael Kelly | 10/05/05
I think that GPL==Linux is not a correct assumption  balsover | 10/05/05
Not what I got  voska | 10/05/05
No, he was saying that about GPL  balsover | 10/05/05
Actually  Michael Kelly | 10/05/05
You more or less agreed with Murphy  balsover | 10/05/05
GPL is very Capitolistic  voska | 10/06/05
Risk?  kincera | 10/05/05
Sorry ...  Ardian Daka | 10/05/05
MS Customer Sued  kincera | 10/05/05
Settled out of court  balsover | 10/05/05
IBM vs Cognos  kincera | 10/05/05
That was nearly 2 years ago  balsover | 10/05/05
Sociologists wanted.  technodolt | 10/05/05
Well done. (nt)  none none | 10/05/05
The people making these innovations  IT_User | 10/05/05
GPL and other licenses  Ardian Daka | 10/05/05
Partial agreement  mjollnir | 10/05/05
Agreed.  Ardian Daka | 10/05/05
I agree  voska | 10/05/05
Solaris is the best OS around?  Roger Ramjet | 10/05/05
Absolutely right  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 10/05/05
No such thing as best OS around  dwjunix | 10/06/05
Old dogs need to learn new tricks - NOW!  saltydogmn | 10/05/05
Two things  Roger Ramjet | 10/05/05
Sorry Salty, try reading the blog again  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 10/05/05
If you change the GPL into something like the CDDL  balsover | 10/05/05
Okay, Paul; are you anti-Linux, then?  saltydogmn | 10/05/05
ummm, actually...  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 10/05/05
Anti-Linux not, realistic view on whats needed, ABSOLUTELY!  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/05/05
Well...  zkiwi | 10/05/05
Depends on usage...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/05/05
Erm...  zkiwi | 10/05/05
Your complaint is with open source  IT_User | 10/05/05
All the major software houses?  IT_User | 10/05/05
We get it; you don't like the GPL  fmcgowan | 10/06/05
He doesn't want to deal with licenses to get code.  B.O.F.H. | 10/06/05
That's the impression I get  voska | 10/06/05
Say what?  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/05/05
GPL Doesn't Always Limit Options  Diamond4D | 10/05/05
IANAL, and neither are you  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/05/05
Well written but we don't live in an ideal world  JJ_z | 10/05/05
Core Competencies  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/05/05
10% ?  JJ_z | 10/05/05
Missing the point.  Zinoron | 10/05/05
GPL != Communism  Erik1234 | 10/05/05
In fact, it is the antithesis  Fred Fredrickson | 10/05/05
Intentions vs Ramifications  ThomasAnderson | 10/05/05
You nailed it  Ardian Daka | 10/05/05
Agreed - nicely put  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 10/05/05
Thanks  ThomasAnderson | 10/05/05
Funny.  toadlife | 10/05/05
Spot on!  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/05/05
Intransigence  Roger Ramjet | 10/05/05
Re: Intentions vs Ramifications  none none | 10/05/05
But that's one of the points  rapson | 10/06/05
Re: But that's one of the points  none none | 10/06/05
No, you don' t lose control  Fred Fredrickson | 10/05/05
Talk about pointing out the obvious  voska | 10/06/05
Let?s simplify the issue: ...  Vily Clay | 10/06/05
Communist boogyman  Zinoron | 10/05/05
Leave the theory to the professors...  balsover | 10/05/05
Did you bother to read, or just skim?  Zinoron | 10/05/05
Dear Paul,  Update victim | 10/05/05
From Scratch or NOT  jebradl | 10/05/05
Wha...Commies??? Oh Nooooooo  DannyO_0x98 | 10/05/05
Obviously Murph's never been to China!  Jiim_z | 10/05/05
China  Erik1234 | 10/06/05
China is a Capitalist Paradise Not Communist  Albee_Freeoneday | 10/06/05
China  wv1955@... | 10/06/05
economic system vs political system  Erik1234 | 10/07/05
You know Linux is doing good  Chad_z | 10/06/05
And "well", even!  Roger Ramjet | 10/06/05
Not the issue here...  cburgess | 10/06/05
The BSD license works for me  AldoWatts | 10/06/05
The market needs protection from power abuse by Gates like guys.  Vily Clay | 10/06/05
To me the barrier is distraction  Mark Miller | 10/07/05
Ahhh...why does this not surprise me?  TtfnJohn | 10/07/05

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