'GPL encumbrance problems' (jdow)

[Christofer C. Bell]

On 1/18/06, Les Mikesell <lesmikesell at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Ummm, no.  In many cases it is used  intentionally to prevent
> other people's improved versions from competing against the
> company's own commercial version (MySQL, ghostscript, etc.).
> In other cases the effect may be accidental, but it is still
> anti-competitive and prevents end users from having the choice
> to pay for the improved versions.

It prevents end users from having to pay for improved versions, they
get improved versions for free. It doesn't prevent a fork from
competing with a company's commerical version.  It encourages
competition using the company's own code as a springboard to that
competition.  Anyone is free to download MySQL's source and start
writing a "better MySQL" and letting people get their hands on it.

> What's the point of it existing then if people shouldn't use it?

The point of it existing is "to make people be nice to each other" and
share their programmatic genious with everyone rather than use
copyright law to beat other people over the head.

Please read: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/why-free.html

--
Chris

"I trust the Democrats to take away my money, which I can afford.  I
trust the Republicans to take away my freedom, which I cannot."