Freeware Python editor

[Martijn Faassen]

Oleg Broytmann <phd at phd.pp.ru> wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 01, 2001 at 09:44:34AM -0800, Erik Max Francis wrote:
>> > > Oh, please.  You don't have the "freedom" to dictate to other people
>> > > what license to put on software that _they_ write.
>> > 
>> >    When and where was I dictating this?
>> 
>> You're talking about people "restricting your freedoms," presumably by
>> providing closed source licenses.  What else did you mean?

>   I m saying this third or fourth time - it was not a complain, just a
> clarification: the editor is "freeware", but not "free". I do not force
> anyone to change license, or do something. I just want to warn people, not
> force them.

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION TO ALL PSU MEMBERS

[Warning: do NOT circulate the dispatch outside the Python Secret Underground.
 Offenders will be removed from the spacetime continuum] 

Various PSU members have been confused by the fact that the PSU has allowed
GNU flamewars to rage on comp.lang.python recently. There have even been
some misguided attempts by PSU members to curb such flamewars into an
amusing discussion. The PSU in the past has even encouraged such attempts.

However, PSU policy has recently been changed after an exploratory mission
into the future using Guido's time machine. The PSU has recently decided
to map the future after the the alien whitespace eating nanovirus event in
the early 21st century, and we have made a truly shocking discovery. GNU
flamewars, far from being useless and disruptive and generally off-topic,
will in fact eventually be instrumental in the survival of human kind, nay,
we have good reasons to believe they will be directly responsible for the
prevention of the final heat death of the universe!

The exact explanation of why this is so is rather involved and we are unable
to go into further details without risking a cascade paradox tension
reduction, which would have disastrous consequences for our galaxy.

But, given this new knowledge, the PSU immediately orders all its operatives to
let them rage on or even encourage them freely. We should all happily suffer
the inconvenience of these flamewars if they can lengthen the age of the
universe, after all!

We will end this dispatch with some tips on how to encourage further GNU
flamewars:

  * when someone uses the word 'free' in any context, immediately 
    respond with something positive or negative about 'free software'.
    
  * when someone mentions 'open source', always correct them and point out
    that 'free software' is entirely different and the true moral approach, 
    and vice versa.

  * Post claims that the Python 2.0.1 license is not compatible with the 
    GPL after all.

  * Post that Richard Stallman is a crazy communist idiot. Argue with
    anyone who dares to disagree.

  * Post that Eric Raymond is a crazy gun nut idiot. Argue with anyone
    who dares to disagree.

  * Whenever someone says Linux, insist they say GNU/Linux.

  * Fork off GNU/Python as the Only True Free Python and put it under 
    the GPL. Insist everybody in the newsgroup call Python GNU/Python
    afterward.

  * If Python developers leave your company or institute, insist
    that they change their previously free and open license into 
    something not compatible with the GPL. Preferably make it
    entirely proprietary. Bring in a lot of lawyers. Put in 
    references to the commonwealth of Virginia in your license.  

  * whenever a message is posted about software under some non-free or
    non-open source license, be sure to post clear warnings so that
    other people can gratefully take notice they were about to walk
    into the evil trap of proprietary software, and thank you. If 
    ungrateful people complain, argue with them.

  * always argue with people talking about free software or open source
    in any context. It's very important to reply to their replies as well.

  * never allow oneself to be distracted by other posters who try 
    to make the discussion veer off into other directions, away from
    the central flamewar.

  * Remember, only you are the defender of the Truth, and you have a solid
    chance of convincing others of that they are wrong. It is your moral
    responsibility to do so.

If you keep these tips in mind and apply them generously, the PSU feels
humanity -- and the universe itself -- is in excellent hands.