[OT} How to un-GPL parts of a GPL'd module.

[Chris Gonnerman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andres Rosado" <arosado at softhome.net>


> At 01:59 PM 10/8/2002 -0400, you wrote:
> >To destroy IP, kill capitalism, and put programmers out or 
> >work isn't quite what id call fair.
> >Write GPL app
> >???
> >PROFIT!!!
> >Realize no one is buying what you are giving out for free.
> >File chapter 11.
> 
> This is debatable. MySQL is a profitable company and it 
> released its product under a GPL licence. Red Hat and 
> Mandrake are other examples. More companies could benefit 
> from using a GPL-type of licence.

A lot of programmers, addicted to the (imaginary) easy money
of a successful shrinkwrapped program, think that "profit"
isn't good enough.  They want (expect) PROFIT, the kind that
makes you Bill Gates or Paul Allen.  Wake up, already.  We
can't all make that kind of money, and further, realize that
"Billion Dollar" Bill didn't WRITE the programs that made him
rich.  The programmers who did, if they were lucky, came out
with "profit" rather than "PROFIT," and some were not so lucky.

That kind of greed is... unseemly.  Pretty common, though.

The OP above, whose name seems to be missing, thinks that the
GPL puts programmers out of work.  He or she needs to realize
that the vast majority of us don't write shrinkwrap software.
We build in-house, custom systems, which will always be needed.
GPL code is not so onerous if you don't ever plan to distribute
it (read the GPL... you are basically completely unaffected
by the license if you never distribute your changes outside
your organization).  Or worse, we maintain systems built by
others...

Chris Gonnerman -- chris.gonnerman at newcenturycomputers.net
http://newcenturycomputers.net