From: Daniel Carrera <dcarrera@...>
Date: 2003-07-10T04:16:40+09:00
Subject: Re: My brief and torrid affair with Ruby.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

I don't think that we are arguing semantics.  There is a big difference 
between the GPL and a viral license.

A virus forces its own spread.  The GPL does not.  Okay, what if the 
alternative libraries aren't as good?  Whether you like the alternatives 
or not does not make the GPL viral.

By the same token I could argue that all commercial licenses are viral.  
The charge me money, which then requires me to charge money for my 
product, hence making my work commercial.

You made an analogy with your mom saying "You have two choices.  Take it 
or leave it."

Alright, I accept the analogy.  Yes, your choices with are GPL program are 
"take it or leave it".  Those are the same choices as with any other 
license.  So what's the problem?  If you don't like it, don't take it.  
But the GPL doesn't force itself on you.  If you don't like the competting 
products that's not the GPL being viral.


On Thu, Jul 10, 2003 at 04:05:00AM +0900, Hal E. Fulton wrote:

> We're rather arguing semantics here.
> 
> Obviously no library can force its use on a developer.
> Hmm, if it could, that might be profitable. :) Don't
> give this idea to certain people.
> 
> The point is that IF YOU DO USE A GPL'd LIBRARY them the
> GPL *does* force you to change the license (unless you
> want to remain in non-compliance of the GPL).
> 
> The alternatives to the GPL'd library may be buggy or
> inferior or even nonexistent. So your options become:
>   1. Throw away your project
>   2. Implement a new library yourself
>   3. Change license to the GPL
> 
> Is it any wonder that most people would choose (3)? And in
> many cases this might be equivalent to (1)...
> 
> The whole discussion of choices reminds me of two things.
> Henry Ford commenting on the Model T -- "They can have 
> any color they want, as long as it's black." And my mother
> at the dinner table when I was a child: "You have two choices.
> Take it or leave it."  :)
> 
> Hal
> 
> --
> Hal Fulton
> hal9000@hypermetrics.com
> 
> 

- -- 
Daniel Carrera         | OpenPGP fingerprint:
Graduate TA, Math Dept | 6643 8C8B 3522 66CB D16C D779 2FDD 7DAC 9AF7 7A88
UMD  (301) 405-5137    | http://www.math.umd.edu/~dcarrera/pgp.html
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.2.2 (SunOS)

iD8DBQE/DGoSnxE8DWHf+OcRAr2EAJ9+qFL8GD7HfDileMKr35vBfbL8dQCfSegD
B9O91Mr6NVtPjt+T9B/WJqM=
=e5qp
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----