Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!ginosko!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uwm.edu!uwvax!umn-d-ub!nic.MR.NET!thor.acc.stolaf.edu!mike From: mike@thor.acc.stolaf.edu (Mike Haertel) Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++ Subject: Re: Questions about "Free Software Foundation" (long) Message-ID: <6669@thor.acc.stolaf.edu> Date: 29 Sep 89 03:30:09 GMT References: <980@mrsvr.UUCP> <6590268@hplsla.HP.COM> <6602@thor.acc.stolaf.edu> <2245@munnari.oz.au> Reply-To: mike@thor.stolaf.edu () Organization: St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN Lines: 79 In article <2245@munnari.oz.au> ok@cs.mu.oz.au (Richard O'Keefe) writes: >I recently got a copy of Oaklisp from CMU. It's an object oriented Scheme >variant, with multiple inheritance and all sorts of good stuff. There are >lots of things I hoped to do with it, but now I'm not going to. Why? >Because it's covered by an FSF-style copyleft. Not "because it's copylefted" but "because it's copylefted and you obviously don't understand the terms of the copyleft." >If I make an improvement >to Oaklisp, I just simply can't afford to give it away. Sure you can, if it really *is* under the unmodified GNU license. >I can't even >afford to give the diffs back to the original authors, because the CopyLeft >would land me with obligations for years. This is complete and utter nonsense. Have you ever actually *read* the copyleft? It only takes a few minutes . . . >I am _not_ making money out of >software, it's precisely because I'm _not_ making money that I can't afford >all this hassle. Another example: I picked up a copy of GPERF. It could >stand a lot of improvement. But I can't afford the hassle involved in >letting anyone else have the improvements, so I've thrown it away. Another >example: I made a number of changes to BISON to make it work on machines >without alloca(), in fact to make it work happily under System V without >even needing an emulation of alloca(). (In point of fact it turns out that >there was never any real benefit in using alloca() in the first place.) >Have I given these diffs to anyone? No way; I'm not going to get lumbered >for the next three years with the obligation to send the FULL sources to >ANYONE AT ALL who asks. (That's what the CopyLeft demands, friends.) Ah, now we come to the crux of the issue. I can only conclude from this statement that Mr. O'Keefe has *never* *read* the license, and therefore deserves everyone's flames, for posting misinformation to the net. Excerpted for everyone's reading pleasure is the relevant portion of the license: # 3. You may copy and distribute the Program (or a portion or derivative of # it, under Paragraph 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of # Paragraphs 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following: # # a) accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable # source code, which must be distributed under the terms of # Paragraphs 1 and 2 above; or, # # b) accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three # years, to give any third party free (except for a nominal charge # for the cost of distribution) a complete machine-readable copy of the # corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of # Paragraphs 1 and 2 above; or, # # c) accompany it with the information you received as to where the # corresponding source code may be obtained. (This alternative is # allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you # received the program in object code or executable form alone.) # # Source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for making # modifications to it. For an executable file, complete source code means # all the source code for all modules it contains; but, as a special # exception, it need not include source code for modules which are standard # libraries that accompany the operating system on which the executable # file runs, or for standard header files or definitions files that # accompany that operating system. Notice that clause (b) applies *only* if you have made a binary distribution without source. #ifdef FLAME Mr. O'Keefe, it is my personal belief that people such as you, who inflict blatant misinformation on other readers of the net, are among the scum of the earth. #endif -- Mike Haertel``There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.'' -- J. S. Bach