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

Why is "GPL" worse than "$250 per copy"?

Author:Seth Gordon
Posted:8/24/2000; 10:42:48 AM
Topic:Next survey: Are you an open source developer?
Msg #:20104 (In response to 20034)
Prev/Next:20103 / 20105

OK, let me try to get this straight.

I write Program Foo and release it under the GPL. You are director of BarSoft. You download Foo and realize that you could modify it in a certain way, turn it into Program FooBar, and sell it for $500 a copy -- oops, you can't do that, because the GPL would require you to make FooBar source available for free. So you don't make FooBar, because the anticipated revenue isn't enough to make it worth your effort.

But suppose I am selling Foo for $250 a copy. You realize that you could modify Foo, etc., etc., and sell it for $500 a copy -- but since each copy of FooBar is a derivative work from Foo, you'd still have to pay me for each copy of FooBar, and the licensing fees would destroy your profit margin. So you don't make FooBar, because again, the anticipated revenue isn't enough to make it worth your effort.

In both of these cases, because you don't want to accept the licensing terms on Foo, you are effectively excluded from making FooBar. In the $250 case, you can't accuse me of acting unethically, because I'm doing the same thing that you want to do -- exchanging copies of software for money. But in the GPL case, you do accuse me of acting unethically. What's the distinction?

You also seem concerned that if GPL software takes over the globe, then programmers as a class will lose money, because they will not get copyright-derived revenue from their work. However, if this happens, it would just be the free market at work. Should computer programmers be sheltered from the effects of the free market?

(I agree, by the way, that there are some classes of software -- such as networking code -- where distribution under a BSD license is arguably Better For Society than distribution under the GPL.)

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