Re: Microsoft needs a help strategy

[Hadron]

Hyman Rosen <hyrosen@mail.com> writes:

> amicus_curious wrote:
>> I think that this kind of activity will go on simply
>> because it is fun for the participants to do so.
>> They care not for any licensing or other restrictions.
>
> Are you deliberately missing the point? These people are able
> to do what they do because the machines they run GPLed software,
> and they are using the sources to make and distribute changes.
>
>> The FSF, on the other hand, has a philosophy that essentially
>> mandates the disclosure of one's innovations in software
>> applications and design.
>
> The patent office also mandates the disclosure of one's innovations
> and designs.
>
>> The SFLC and FSF now are harassing companies who are merely using the
>> GPL products as is, though, and confusing the situation to no end.
>
> Complying with the GPL is extremely simple. Cut a CD with the source
> code on it and ship it with the product. Put the source code on the
> web site right next to the binary download. What I find confusing is
> how any company doing business would fail to check and comply with
> the terms of third-party software which they are copying and shipping.
> Their laziness, irresponsibility, or outright deliberate violations
> are not problems with the license. The SFLC is not confusing anything,

Bingo.

It's a problem with real people in the real world.

Freeloaders, thieves and general scroungers will indeed take
advantage. It's why the most used commercial SW projects in the world do
not give out their source codes as a general rule. If they did their
hard work would be distributed and cloned in two shakes of Liarmutt's
pee-pee.

But in la-la land feel free to dream that everyone would be nice to each
other.