Still no new license -- but draft text available

[Grant Griffin]

Pat McCann wrote:

> esj at harvee.billerica.ma.us (Eric S. Johansson) writes:
>
> > Another way of looking at it is in terms of compensation.  The GPL
> > compensates you for your effort by making sure all future revisions
> > are available to everyone.
> >
> > The BSD license gives people the freedom to taker work without
> > compensation to you for your effort.
> >
> > keeping all future revisions available to everyone fits my definition
> > of more generous.
>
> Bush (BSD) and Gore (GPL) independingly write programs that do
> the same thing.
>
> Olsen modifies both programs and publishes it opened.

(I guess there aren't any US presidents that start with "O", but if it were
me, I probably would have used "Polk" here. ;-)

> Carter modifies Bush's program and publishes it closed.
>
> Bush "gave" his program to the public for BSD use. Which allowed:
>     Olsen to "give" his modificatons to the public for BSD use.
>     Carter to "give" his modifcations to the public for running.

Note that even if Carter *sells* it, that's still a good thing.  Assuming
Carter's customers are rational, they purchase the closed product (with its
previously-open-source code embedded) only if they think they're getting
their money's worth.  Note that Bush likely will receive no payment (or
even screen credit) for this, but that is entirely fair if the software
license he used required none.

Now, this brings us to one of the subtle aspects of the copyleft concept:
since the software forever remains open source (with the author's name
attached), the author forever gets credit for it in the "gift economy" of
open-source.  None of the proponents of open source ever really focus on
this important point, but I personally think "perpetual credit" is probably
among the most powerful (if entirely unstated) motivations for the copyleft
concept.  For example, all future generations (that care) shall be reminded
of Richard Stallman's importance in helping create "The GNU/Linux System".
(BTW, speaking of credit, can it be mere coincidence that Mr. Stallman
insists that "GNU" preceed what we've all been calling simply "Linux"?)

OK, sure, we'd all like to receive credit for our work--especially in light
of this whole nutty "gift economy" thing--but clearly an obsession with
receiving credit for gifts given in a gift economy amounts to an unhealthy
sort of "materialism".

and-unhealthy-materialism-is-what-made-Bill-Gates-what-he-is-today-<0.1
wink>-ly y'rs,

=g2
--
_____________________________________________________________________

Grant R. Griffin                                       g2 at dspguru.com
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