Re: <nettime> Linux strikes back III

[Ian Dickson <ian@iand.demon.co.uk>]

In message <200310170608.h9H682v30539@bbs.thing.net>, Wayne Myers 
<waz@easynet.co.uk> writes
>
>
>> Do you think that the FSF should simply let companies do what they like
>> with Open Source code? Including make money out of it?
>
>Do you think that the GPL means that no-one is allowed to make money
>out of software so licensed? Have you not heard of a company by the
>name of 'Red Hat'? Or another one by the name of 'Suse'? Or any number
>of other for-profit companies that are making money out of GPL'ed
>software.
>
>Nowhere in the GPL does it say 'You are not allowed to make money out
>of this'. That's not what the GPL is about.  The idea that you can't
>make money from GPLed software is, of course, one of the lies that the
>anti-GPL FUD crowd like to spread about it.
>
Of course people can make money out of it. All comments must be read in 
context, in this case the context was the money being made referred to 
extending the code and NOT releasing that in accordance with the GPL. 
(Which I understand is why FSF is chasing Cisco etc).

After all, if you look at the math given that precious little OS is 
actually usable by non techies, OS is a wonderful source of revenue for 
many programmers, solutions providers etc:-)

My point previously is that you if you simply allow anyone to do 
anything with OS, all that will happen is that the people who do the 
work will pretty much stop. Why should they do stuff that the likes of 
Cisco will then take, without giving back.

Cheers
-- 
ian dickson                                  www.commkit.com
phone +44 (0) 1452 862637                    fax +44 (0) 1452 862670
PO Box 240, Gloucester, GL3 4YE, England

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