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More semantic hair-splitting
Boy, aren't we programmers a fun bunch at parties?

"The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving away the software as a component of an aggregate software distribution containing programs from several different sources. The license shall not require a royalty or other fee for such sale."

A) I never said that Microsoft called their offering open source, hence the name shared source.
B) Irrespective of that, the way humans talk about open source bears little resemblance to the rarified forms Stallman likes to foist on the world. He likes to play around with the word "free," too, without any regard for the way human beings actually use the term. If I have to hear one more person bloviate about the the metaphysical usage of the term "free" as it applies to software, I will, literally, puke.

Open source is a fuzzy concept in the minds of most people. You might prefer it to be as semantically precise as a programming language, but it isn't. Open source defines something that includes a bunch of abstract qualities. It includes access to source code in every case (though the universality of that access varies). I MIGHT include free as in cost. It is NOT, however, some kind of physics principle that people in lab coats will discern by running shrink-wrapped software into each other at velocities approaching the speed of light.

These are language principles, and believe you me, as someone who has spent a lot of time bopping between spoken languages, both variants of my native language and others, there is a lot of play there.

So, no, I don't accept that the OSI is the arbiter of the proper definition of the term "open source," any more than I accept the inhabitants of Great Britain get to define the absolute definition of proper english.

That belief will be reflected in what I write.
Posted by: John Carroll   Posted on: 03/01/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Don't care too much about SQL Server, ...  Judas I. | 02/28/05
They can stick their SQL code where the sun don't shine.  DonnieBoy | 02/28/05
Somebody  FilledOut | 03/01/05
That somebody is also me. Peace.  systemcleaner | 03/01/05
Who cares?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 03/01/05
The Chinese might want to check if for back doors.  DonnieBoy | 03/01/05
And they'd recognize the code for back doors...  Anton Philidor | 03/01/05
It's how they can keep the digital divide  FilledOut | 03/03/05
Debugging  htotten | 02/28/05
Edit & Continue  seosamh_z | 03/01/05
Shared Source != Open Source  John Le'Brecage | 02/28/05
1 question and 1 correction  NonZealot | 02/28/05
Par course I suppose.  John Le'Brecage | 02/28/05
Tsk tsk  NonZealot | 03/01/05
He does have a point about "deficient"  Anton Philidor | 03/01/05
Good thought there Anton  John Le'Brecage | 03/01/05
What???!!!  NonZealot | 03/01/05
Choice among synonyms  Anton Philidor | 03/02/05
To complete...  John Le'Brecage | 03/02/05
Errk... On correction of my own. (penultimate bad)  John Le'Brecage | 02/28/05
A few reality checks here  TrollSlayer | 03/01/05
When?  rapson | 03/01/05
Clarify? Please?  John Le'Brecage | 03/01/05
More semantic hair-splitting  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
Clarification is not hair splitting  Robert Crocker | 03/01/05
Did you read this *before* you had your lunch today, John ;-)?  Zogg | 03/01/05
Precisely the reason...  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
I can't agree  NonZealot | 03/01/05
Re:  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
Uphill battle John C.  John Le'Brecage | 03/01/05
You write...  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
You can't be arbitrary  Robert Crocker | 03/01/05
neither can you  Dave F_z | 03/01/05
shared source or Shared Source?  Robert Crocker | 03/01/05
As I noted in my other post to you...  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
Concept versus legal term  Robert Crocker | 03/01/05
I quite understand your point John C...  John Le'Brecage | 03/02/05
Is Open Source Fuzzy to most?  George Jay | 03/01/05
Question  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
Which is where...  rapson | 03/01/05
Re: Which  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
Reread your reply to John B.  George Jay | 03/01/05
Claim  rapson | 03/01/05
Who are you arguing with?  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
MS has NEVER called it open source.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 03/01/05
In fact I've not complained at all  John Le'Brecage | 03/01/05
hmm...  jdahs@... | 03/01/05
No, he was understood  Robert Crocker | 03/02/05
Many licenses, many open sources  Anton Philidor | 03/02/05
ONE OSSI  Robert Crocker | 03/02/05
Definitions that are owned.  Anton Philidor | 03/02/05
Conclusion of prior post.  Anton Philidor | 03/02/05
Open source was around long before the OSI came into existance ...  George Mitchell | 03/01/05
Wilful misrepresentation  whisperycat | 03/01/05
Re: Willful  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
Similarities..  Patrick Jones | 03/02/05
Start stealing open source ideas?  rock06r | 03/02/05
Skeletins in the closet  Roger Ramjet | 03/01/05
I remember this "slogan"  widge_z | 03/01/05
Conflict of interest  Roger Ramjet | 03/01/05
Whose interest?  Patrick Jones | 03/01/05
Clear conflict of interest.  maxo_z | 03/01/05
Once again..  Patrick Jones | 03/01/05
Really?  NonZealot | 03/01/05
How about Sun  voska | 03/01/05
Move on please  seosamh_z | 03/01/05
WINE  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
Would we?  Roger Ramjet | 03/02/05
Practical illustration Shared Source inadequacy  whisperycat | 03/01/05
I fail to see your point?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 03/01/05
How long would that take?  voska | 03/01/05
Easy..  Patrick Jones | 03/01/05
As long as there is a timely update  Michael Kelly | 03/01/05
Life is too short for this too  jorwell | 03/01/05
Cost vs. Benefit  j.m.galvin | 03/01/05
Not necessarily  rapson | 03/01/05
And yet....  rock06r | 03/02/05
Patent lawsuits  maxo_z | 03/01/05
Certainly not Sisyphus, John  Anton Philidor | 03/01/05
But, to give you credit, you have King Minos right...  Anton Philidor | 03/01/05
Re: Mythology  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
Whose job is it? (Main point of article)  Anton Philidor | 03/01/05
Right in principle  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/01/05
Principle and practice  Anton Philidor | 03/01/05
JC  meetwo | 03/01/05
That's not very fair!  TechType | 03/02/05
"Thier very professional existance is at steak."??  Anton Philidor | 03/02/05
welcome back from Europe  JasonL31 | 03/02/05

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