Re: OMG!

[wbdesnoy@acs5.acs.ucalgary.ca (Byron Desnoyers Winmill)]

J.Q.P. (jqp@hotmail.com) wrote:
: I use Linux exclusively on my PC -- I believe in and respect the FSF
: as an organization and the GPL licence, but if someone wants to be
: paid for their work -- I'll respect that too.

: The GPL is a great and wonderful thing, but you cant force that
: on people.  You certainly cant "assume" public-licence/public
: domain status for a program just becuase you think the market is
: dead...and you want something to run on your emulator.

You missed the point: the GPL has nothing to do with giving away
software, and everything to do with how we use it.  There are a
number of people and corporations running around demanding control
of how individuals use software.  Bev is an example of this, as
she claims that she will not release some Apple II material 
unless she has complete control over how it is distributed.  One
point she made was that a particular version should be made
available.  Perhaps having control over distribution channels make
sense if you are working under the profit motive.  Yet Bev claims
that this software is free, so presumably that motive does not
exist.  So, for some personal sense of control, she has decided to
dictate how I use my computer.  As an end user, that doesn't make
sense. 

Byron.