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Clarification
"Saying that if I make changes to GPL'd code I MUST donate those changes to the community is an encumbrance. What happens if I don't? I get taken to court. How is that "free"?"

It perpetuates the "free speech". It is there to ensure that a person or company can't snatch up the code, make a subtle change, call it their own and start suing the GPL community for using "their" code.

Honestly, wouldn't you be a bit upset if you wrote a cool program that you gave to the community and MegaCorpCo comes along, changes a half of a line of code, copyrights it, and sells it to make a fortune? Wouldn't you get REAL upset when that company not only didn't give you one thin dime for your works, but also sues you for copyright infringement and forced you to stop giving away what is now legally THEIR program?

Suddenly, the GPL starts to make a bit more sense now.

The GPL is a way for code to be exchanged and used freely without someone pulling a stunt like that. If you change someone's code, you must make those changes public. If someone changes your code, they also must make those changes public. Free speech, in this case, is perpetuated by the GPL due to the fact that nobody can legally silence it.

No secrets. No lies. No screwing people over. How is that encumbered?
Posted by: Sabz5150   Posted on: 10/19/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Under the new plan....  nucrash | 10/19/05
Microsoft simplifies code-sharing plan  Loverock Davidson | 10/19/05
Yeah, right......God bless Microsoft...  shawkins | 10/19/05
And why not?  Loverock Davidson | 10/19/05
They try  nucrash | 10/19/05
You are so right....  widge_z | 10/19/05
I know  Loverock Davidson | 10/19/05
You had my vote at Linusux..  Patrick Jones | 10/19/05
Oops..  Patrick Jones | 10/19/05
Its ok  Loverock Davidson | 10/19/05
I best get that trademarked then  Patrick Jones | 10/19/05
I guess you don't understand  widge_z | 10/19/05
Yes  Loverock Davidson | 10/19/05
more gimmicks from M$  Linux Geek | 10/19/05
MS doesn't care what yoiu think, your not a customer.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/19/05
So Microsoft can piss off anybody they want, no problem,  DonnieBoy | 10/19/05
You wouldn't come back...  Confused by religion | 10/19/05
Re: more gimmicks from M$  Scrat | 10/19/05
Banner day for all Americans...  Mike Cox | 10/19/05
I am starving Mike...  nucrash | 10/19/05
MS is learning ...  George Mitchell | 10/19/05
Your post contains so many...  ShadeTree | 10/19/05
I disagree..  Patrick Jones | 10/19/05
Sound analysis...but there's more...  techboy_z | 10/19/05
Go read the code sharing ...  ShadeTree | 10/20/05
Great, more encumbered source for No_Ax to whine about!  B.O.F.H. | 10/19/05
Probably not  NonZealot | 10/19/05
That's interesting..  Patrick Jones | 10/19/05
That's the point  rapson | 10/19/05
It is the fact that speech isn't completely free...  Patrick Jones | 10/19/05
That's fine  rapson | 10/19/05
Copyright Law puts restrictions in place, a license alows usage.  B.O.F.H. | 10/19/05
The restritions exist because someone ...  ShadeTree | 10/20/05
To Shadetree  Zinoron | 10/20/05
Clarification  Sabz5150 | 10/19/05
You're missing the point  rapson | 10/19/05
Nicely put Carl...  John Le'Brecage | 10/19/05
I agree  rapson | 10/19/05
One thing Carl  Jeff Spicoli | 10/19/05
All source code licenses deal with Copyrights.  B.O.F.H. | 10/19/05
Of course not!  Sabz5150 | 10/19/05
WOW- never thought I'd see the day!  CobraA1 | 10/19/05
Oh no, comparisons to Mozilla even in the slightest  Boot_Agnostic | 10/20/05
MS-PL  wolf_z | 10/20/05

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