On Tue, May 23, 2000 at 11:55:46AM +1000, Rick Welykochy wrote:
> Dug up on slashdot ... a L-O-N-G article by Bertrand
> Meyer (O-O guru) on the ethics of free software. The article
> hammers zealots like Stallman and Raymond who cannot see their
> way clear to forgiving people for making a living from writing
> software.
>
> Some good points made, and its share of loonie toonies (i.e. what
> has gun control got to do with the free software argument?)
>
> <http://www.sdmagazine.com/features/2000/03/f4.shtml>
This was one of the worst written essays I've ever seen. The author just
doesn't get where Stallman is comming from. Meyer says:
"The GNU and FSF view is that it is OK to sell anything except software."
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html clearly explains that charging
a price for software is okay. Its /freedom/ that its all about - a point
that Meyer completely misses with his definition of free software:
* Is available from at least one source without payment (which does not
preclude other sources from offering it for payment, for example to
people who want a distribution on CD rather than downloaded, or require
commercial support).
* Can be used for commercial as well as not-for-profit development, even
by people who have not paid for it. (There may be some restrictions on
commercial uses, for example the requirement that additions to the free
software be free too.)
* Can be obtained in source code form.
The whole /point/ is that free software gives you the freedom to do more
with your software than just run it.
There is a good commentary on Meyer's ramblings on Advogato:
http://www.advogato.org/article/94.html
Read the GNU/FSF site for a good definition of free software and why its
important:
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/
Ian
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Ian McKellar | Email: yakk(a)yakk.net | Web: http://www.yakk.net/
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