Anthony Towns <aj@azure.humbug.org.au> writes: > In the way you're going on about it, yes, it is. What David's talking > about is this: if you've got a business, whose profits are based around > a monopoly on distributing a piece of software, you can't replace your > major bits of software with GPLed software or relicense what you have > under the GPL without changing your business model. > > Thus, requiring some users to change your business model is not enough > to make something non-free. Which is what "the type of business" is > all about.
But that's not the point. Of course I agree with *that*. The point is that a forced publication requirement is a *RESTRICTION* not just on "what kinds of business use the software profitably", but on the rights of actual individuals who are now restricted in their actions. Again: why is "send me the code" any different than "send me your IRS return", assuming in both cases that the costs of transmission are paid?
