[GNUz] Slashdor discussion of php/mysql/gpl

[Jim Cheetham]

On Jul 20, 2004, at 9:22 PM, InfoHelp wrote:
> Somehow the debate just seems to stand in the way of 'getting on with 
> it' (our jobs).
>
> Is the trend one of slow & steady erosion of GNU GPL influence?
>
> If so, need we be concerned?

Absolutely, yes. If the people who are broadly in agreement about the 
existance of free software can find show-stopping differences, how are 
the closed-source people going to react?

Companies the size of Microsoft need to destroy free software, 
especially as it impacts on their profitability. Microsoft are 
currently in the throes of converting from a growth company to being a 
"mature" stable company, and they don't seem to want to. In order to 
continue growing, they must expand into new markets (that's their 
problem) without loosing any existing ones (that's "our" problem). As 
the recent HP memo release shows, even two years ago Microsoft were 
embarking on a patent/legal conflict with free software. If they can 
discredit copyleft licenses (GPL and any other license that starts with 
"copyright" and then extends rights under certain conditions) all we 
will be left with is Public Domain, which provides no protection 
against abuse.

The free software community is thinking about their motivations hard at 
the moment, and about why they are unwilling to use Public Domain (in 
essence). Creative Commons offers a "non-commercial use" license, but 
doesn't really define what commercial use is, or why we should want to 
deny someone that option. The GPL denies a future user the ability to 
distribute without the GPL - pedantically speaking, the GPL is "less 
free" than PD. Many hackers are pedants.

> Responsible for releasing software, one would need a specific license. 
> Until then, does it matter?

Yes, it matters - because not all re-use of software is related to 
public release. It's been said that 80% of all software development is 
done for internal- and single-customer use.
And "release" also includes "give to a client" in most circumstances.

-jim