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List:       kde
Subject:    Re: close-source proprietary Linux
From:       Rob Kaper <cap () capsi ! cx>
Date:       2000-03-20 10:16:04
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On Mon, Mar 20, 2000 at 09:53:42AM -0000, Sibusiso Xolo wrote:
> On should  but wonder  if this is a 'softening-up' for an attempt by
> u-know-who to jump on the Linux band-wagon to start a proprietary
> closed-source Linux distribution.

The GPL would not allow a proprietary closed-source Linux distribution.

However, the GPL has not been tested in court yet. Perhaps the FSF should
fund a trail case to see how it would hold up and if not adjust it.

So far the GPL has worked because the community respects it and many people
object to violations. The growing Linux user base has the disadvantage that
a lot of users do not really know what the GPL stands for. It will be easier
to get away with a violation in the future, unless there is a way we can
defend it legally, which would require testing the license in court as well
as a solid financial base to cover the courtroom costs.

Perhaps it's time the KDE team, Free Software Foundation, the Gnome team,
the OSI, Red Hat, etc etc.. meet and discuss this issue. It has not been a
problem yet, but it would be ignorant not to pay attention to it.

Then again, this article was notihng more than a piece of FUD defending
closed-source software against open-source. Let's ignore it. I'm going back
to work now, and back to coding this evening.

Rob
-- 
Rob Kaper | cap@capsi.com cap@capsi.cx cap@atomickitten.cx cap@loves.lana.cx
          | http://capsi.com/ http://capsi.cx/ telnet://chat.capsi.cx:2300/
          | "These are the people who proudly call themselves "hackers" --
          | not as the term is now abused by journalists to mean a computer
          | criminal, but in its true and original sense of an enthusiast,
          | an artist, a tinkerer, a problem solver, an expert." -- ESR
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