Why is Fedora not a Free GNU/Linux distributions?

inode0 inode0 at gmail.com
Sat Jul 19 18:25:46 UTC 2008


On Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 12:47 PM, Les Mikesell <lesmikesell at gmail.com> wrote:
> inode0 wrote:
>> ...
> Please explain how a work containing any GPL'd material can contain any that
> is not covered by the GPL, given the 'work as a whole' provision in the
> license.   While there are indeed licenses that permit their own terms to be
> replaced by the GPL when used in this way, that means the terms _become_ the
> GPL, not that different terms are or can be, by design, compatible.

By definition a license is compatible with the GPL if it allows the
work to be combined with GPL code and redistributed as a combined work
under the GPL. There is no reason to redefine or explain this in any
other way. Lots of licenses are compatible with the GPL.

>> You seem to really have a beef with copyleft and that is fine.
>
> I have a beef with representing restrictions as freedom.
>
>> Some
>> people value freedom for developers more than freedom for users.
>
> Restrictions have nothing to do with freedom no matter how you spin it.

Restrictions have nothing to do with anarchy, but they are the normal
way people organize themselves to preserve freedom.

>> And
>> they tend to use licenses that grant as much freedom to developers as
>> they desire. Others prefer to assure freedom for users and they tend
>> to favor copyleft licenses like the GPL. It is an honest difference of
>> opinion but there really isn't anything furthered by misrepresenting
>> what the other side stands for.
>
> So drop the misrepresentation and make the license enumerate all of the
> things it prohibits instead of hand-waving about freedom while in fact
> preventing most of the possible ways of re-using the code.

It is impossible to enumerate things like this just as it is
impossible to enumerate all the ways people can harm each other. The
intent of the GPL is to preserve the essential freedoms enumerated by
the FSF. That is the clear intent, revisions are necessary as people
invent new ways to circumvent the desired wishes of the copyright
holders.

John




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