From: Chad Perrin <perrin@...>
Date: 2007-03-16T04:08:54+09:00
Subject: Re: GUI With Ruby

On Fri, Mar 16, 2007 at 03:40:07AM +0900, google@andreas-s.net wrote:
> 
> Forgive me my sarcasm, but I just think that your arguments against
> the GPL are mostly FUD. The "can I redistribute a binary if I have
> lost the source" scenario is far-fetched, you vastly overstate the
> cost of providing source code, and you just refuse to accept the fact
> that the GPL works insofar that it forces companies to reveal the
> source code of products they would otherwise not reveal, which
> ultimately benefits the end user.

Far-fetched?

I have a few dozen Ubuntu CDs that I can't distribute to anyone without
getting in touch with the Ubuntu project and asking for the source for
them before giving them away.  So much for the attractive packaging and
easy-to-use CDs.  I guess they're garbage now, unless I want to try to
entice the Ubuntu project to give me collections of version-specific
source.

I suppose I could try to hunt down every single piece of GPLed
binary-compiled software on these CDs, but that's just a ludicrous
exercise in stupidity at this point.  The only reason I still have them
is that I'm loath to throw away what hasn't been used, but the fact
remains that I have some excellent materials for introducing people
gently to the world of non-Windows software that cannot be used.

The convenient legal distributability of most Linux distributions'
installers "rots".

If I vastly overstate the cost of providing source code, I'd appreciate
having the numbers I quoted being quoted back at me.

-- 
CCD CopyWrite Chad Perrin [ http://ccd.apotheon.org ]
Amazon.com interview candidate: "When C++ is your
hammer, everything starts to look like your thumb."