Re: [Fsfe-uk] Young Greens moving on FS

[Lee Braiden]

MJ Ray wrote:

> I don't understand your point about free software (rather than 
> copyleft) *requiring* copyright, but these distortions are more 
> immediate problems. Have you seen the posts on 
> http://www.public-domain.org/ over the last few days?


Well, GNU defines free software as (among other things) the ability to
change the software.  As I understand it, public domain software could
be adapted and distributed in binary form, without providing access to
the sourcecode. Therefore, the ability to change would be lost.  Very
familiar stuff to you, I'm sure.  But I don't see how access to source
can be guaranteed without legal enforcement of right to sourcecode.
And, as GNU says, "A program is free software if users have all of these
freedoms."  Seems like you're using a looser definition of free software?

On p-d.org: the WIPO stuff?  No, I hadn't been tracking that site.
Interesting, though.  I'll be keeping up-to-date with it now; thanks.
Glad to see it looks sane for the moment.  Did you have some specific
thoughts on it?

- Lee.