On Wed, 19 May 1999, Brandon W. Beasley wrote:
> Thus, I ask the question again, what
> happens to Linux once Microsoft owns it?
Didn't we recently have a long thread on GPL? If Linus dies and some
strange sequence of events puts the Linux copyright in MS's hands, I don't
think you need to worry.
Anyone who has bought a commercial version of Linux has a copy of the
source code. According to the license under which he bought it (GPL), he
can modify and redistribute it. The current kernel coders would probably
just continue with the latest GPL'd version they (or anyone else) own.
MS could "fork" and start selling a closed source MSLinux based on the
version whose copyright they buy, but *no one* can stop the development of
an open source program once a single copy is obtained by an outsider under
an open source license...unless that license is thrown out in court.
-------------------------------------------
Tom Bryan
Applied Research Laboratories
University of Texas at Austin
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Send administrative requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
