Re: [Axiom-legal] Fwd: [Axiom-developer] Re: [open-axiom-devel] [fricas-devel] umlaut in Guess - mailing list for algebra

[Frederic Lehobey]

Hi,

Bill Page <address@hidden> (2007-09-04 20:23:20) :

>                                          GPL specifically says that
> the full source of the software must be available to *all* - even
> corporations.

This is not correct. Please read it. In short words, GPL requires
availability of source code to *users* of the software. Saying it
requires *public* disclosure is old FUD.

(By the way, licenses that discriminate between users are commonly
considered neither free -- as in freedom -- nor open source licenses.)

>               The only requirement is that anyone who uses GPL
> software must license the entire result as GPL.

This is not correct either. This is only for *binaries* that you
*distribute*, because the right to redistribute the (GPL parts of the)
software is given to you *by* the GPL. But if you do not redistribute
and only *use* the software, you are not bound by anything. You do not
even have to accept the GPL license (it is only needed if you want the
right to redistribute).

> > The non-commercial virus in Aldor is another case.
> 
> I think this is a different case from GPL. The APL2 non-commercial use
> clause specifically restricts the use of Aldor in certain "commercial"
> circumstances but GPL does not.

APL2 is neither free (as in freedom) nor open source software. I do
not understand what makes you so enthusiastic about it. Nothing new
under the sun.

Best regards,
Frédéric Lehobey