Re: lynx-dev Re: Licensing Lynx (fwd)

[Richard Stallman]

I was forwarded a message in which Brett Glass asked you to allow him
to use the code of Lynx in proprietary software packages, saying that
this will help your "colleagues" compete with Microsoft.  I hope that
you will not grant to that request.

If a company develops proprietary software, then whether it be small,
large, or in between, it is not contributing to our community.  If
they compete with Microsoft by behaving like Microsoft, that doesn't
make free software any better.  We want to replace Microsoft software,
because Microsoft software is proprietary; but there is no use
replacing it with other proprietary software.  So we should not let
competing with Microsoft distract us from the larger issue.  See
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/microsoft.html.

If a company develops proprietary extensions to Lynx, then whether it
be small, large, or in between, it is not contributing to the
development of Lynx.  You will have to compete with them, redoing the
same job in order to make the free version of Lynx keep up with the
proprietary version and remain viable.

By using the GPL, you've told these people that they can have your
support provided you have their support--either two-way cooperation,
or none.  I hope you'll stick with that policy.

 -- Richard Stallman, satisfied Lynx user.