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List:       freenet-chat
Subject:    RE: [Freenet-chat] Free market (was Re: MPAA thinks linking is il
From:       "Stover, Michael" <Michael.Stover () usa ! xerox ! com>
Date:       2000-08-31 16:54:37
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> > Although I don't normally agree with Mark, he is absolutely 
> correct here.
> > If we really want open-source to win out, the best strategy 
> is to just start
> > giving everything away.  The more free stuff that's out 
> there that companies
> > start using, the more people and companies will see the 
> benefits of using
> > free software.  The GPL tries to lock out the commercial 
> world, but that's
> > just stunting acceptance of using open source software 
> within corporations.
> 
> Maybe use some other license? Apache? BSD? These merely say, if I
> understand them, that you have to include a copyright and disclaimer
> clause.  In other words: give them credit and tell everyone not to sue
> them.  It might be clever to have that disclaimer or you might be sued
> if it doesn work, when someone looses data, whatever. Forcing the
> inclusion of the disclaimer in derivative software can probably only
> be done (I am guessing) by claiming copyright.
> 
> Anyway, the licenses already in use have been tested legally. If you
> want more freedom than the GPL, use the BSD license.

I agree it's much better .  The credit stuff is somewhat cumbersome, but
dealable.  I agree about the disclaimer stuff too, but with freenet, you
could write the open-source software anonymously and totally avoid the
liability issue.  Hmmm, YAAFF (Yet Another Application For Freenet). 

Don't know how I actually ventured back on topic, I apologize for that ;-)

-Mike

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