Re: [Fsfe-uk] Re: [discuss] Open source software News

[Tom Yates]

On Fri, 12 Mar 2004, ian wrote:

> No, I'm not a socialist, I am in business and happen to believe
> customers should be served by business not simply exploited by either
> state or private monopolies. This is why Government should fund FLOSS
> projects but insist they are GPL, not Crown copyright (UK).

Not only are GPL and Crown Copyright *not* self-contradictory, copyright 
is required in order for the GPL to apply.

I don't want to seem deliberately picky, but I think it's worth making the 
point that free software licences *require* a working copyright system in 
order to function.  A lot of people, particularly laymen, misunderstand 
that point and I think that's one of the most common causes of the 
accusation of "socialism" that we seem to have to defend against on a 
regular basis.


-- 

  Tom Yates  -  address@hidden  -  http://www.teaparty.net