Post by @dexter@bsd.network

@rl_dane @neptune22222 @tinker @stefano Note that it’s technically GPL license vs. BSD copyright, no?

I default to the simplicity of the BSD copyright in service of Dexter’s Law: Only proprietary software vendors want proprietary software

I would also argue that we can’t properly have this discussion until the rampant GPL violations end.

It is also very concerning that many various companies have GPL marketing versions of their proprietary software, a model pioneered by MySQL and now popular with various “AGPL” projects.

I recall a top GPL enforcer saying, “Only Richard Stallman fully understands the GPL”, which is a terrifying notion if a judge and a jury need to make a decision.

Be pragmatic and objective.

3 Replies

0 Boosts

Bo Morgan

@neptune22222@kolektiva.social 13 hours ago

@dexter @rl_dane @tinker @stefano

I'm not just interested in GPL vs BSD. I'm thinking more broadly about copyleft versus permissive. When I copyleft my software, I do it to make sure that future versions of the technology will be available to users of the technology, while I don't use permissive licenses on my work because this encourages proprietary future versions of the technology to be created.

The copyleft licenses that I use currently are:
- AGPL for software
- CERN-OHL-S v2 for hardware
- CC-SA for documentation / art

Another name for copyleft is reciprocal. The idea is pretty simple, although there are violations, and the legal precedents are rare. I do not believe that Richard Stallman is important for the concepts of copyleft or reciprocal licenses. The ideas are not tied to any individual person.

Michael Dexter

@dexter@bsd.network 2 hours ago

@neptune22222 @rl_dane @tinker @stefano A few words on that:

http://callfortesting.org/curse/

It is a fallacy that #MegaCorp is going to “steal” your permissively-licensed code and use it as a core technology.

Companies like Apple BUY OTHER COMPANIES and their IP to have air tight, unambiguous ownership.

They use some BSD-licensed code and share it back, and the changes they make might not be meaningful outside their ecosystem.

Such companies are inconsistent on giving back, but in practice that is no different than the sea of GPL violators.

There cannot be a meaningful comparison until GPL violation is eradicated.

CFT: The curse

A BSD Unix Technical Journal

Michael Dexter

@dexter@bsd.network 10 minutes ago

@neptune22222 @rl_dane @tinker @stefano It’s Frida night after a rough week and I’m going there:

MGGA: “Make GPL Great Again!”

Muggle for short?

When *exactly*, star date or otherwise, did humanity maintain 100% GPL compliance?

Comparisons to permissive licensing are moot until we establish that milestone.

Sorry.