[POLITICS] Re: When is the Last Time You Booted to Windows?

[Mike McCarty]

Peter Gordon wrote:
> On Mon, 2006-02-20 at 13:50 -0600, Mike McCarty wrote:
> 
>>GPL is an extremely restrictive EULA itself.
> 
> The GPL is arguably not an EULA, as it does not restrict usage of the
> software, only the rights to modify/and or redistribute the software in
> question. 
> 
> 
>>Eh? GPL restricts redistribution.
> 
> Only conditionally. Putting something under public domain means that
> people can take that software and republish it under proprietary terms.

No, it does not. Something which is placed into the public domain is
public. It does not allow anyone to take ownership of it. The wheel
is, for example, public domain. It cannot be patented. Likewise,
something which is public domain cannot be copyright, nor can it be
trade secret. It can be sold, but it cannot be owned.

> The GPL strictly enforces that all such redistributions of the software
> *remain* Free. Thus, it only serves to *protect* the redistribution and
> other freedoms granted therein.

All redistributions of a public domain work remain public domain.

Mike
-- 
p="p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}";main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
This message made from 100% recycled bits.
You have found the bank of Larn.
I can explain it for you, but I can't understand it for you.
I speak only for myself, and I am unanimous in that!