Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: What free software means to me

Author:Mark A. Hershberger
Posted:8/20/2000; 8:35:31 PM
Topic:A History of "Open Source"
Msg #:19860 (In response to 19854)
Prev/Next:19859 / 19861

And I don't believe that free software necessarily applies to musicians and writers, either. I'm strongly opposed to Napster, because it took an important decision out of the musicians' hands. That wasn't a very respectful thing to do.

Ahh.... I like this.

This reminds me of the BSD vs GPL flames that you see so much of on BSD mailing lists. Some BSDers don't like the GPL because it says they can't make someone else's software proprietary. They want more freedom than the author is willing to give.

This is why I like the GPL. If I've put my work out there (and mine is quite minimal), I don't want someone else making a killing off of it by taking my baby from me. Your enumeration of the liberties you give with free software is fitting and I think shows why so many people like the GPL. Yes, we want to give away our software, but we'd often like to retain some control.

This is also why I empathize with Dave to some degree when he rejects the free riders of "open source". What have they contributed? How have they given back? Often they haven't and he's right: no one wants someone who doesn't see the value of a piece of software (Dave, I hope I've read you right). Even if I'm willing to give you the software at no cost, I still want you to recognise the work I've put into it and give something back to me, or, if not me directly, at least contribute back to the pool of shared resources.

I once went to pick rms up from an airport. He didn't show (he was kicked off the plane in DC), but my friend and I managed to pick up a man who had been sitting beside him and recognized our GNU head. He turned out to be far more sociable than rms was, but one statement he made stood out to me: "So, you seem to use a lot of free software; what have you given back?"

I've redoubled my puny efforts since then.

Mark.

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