Richard Stallman wrote:
OpenBSD is by far the most free OS in the landscape. Everything that
ships with it is free or else it won't be distributed with it.
Yes, that's what I was told. I was also told that OpenBSD's ports
system includes non-free programs. Is that accurate too?
There is
not a single open source OS out there that is more careful than OpenBSD
on licensing, copyrights and frivolous patents.
Maybe that is true, but it's not the issue I'm talking about. I'm not
a supporter of open source anyway; I fight for free software.
In that case, if you are really fighting for free software Richard, and
I very much respect that, regardless of licenses, or ideology, or what
not. I have only one request/question for you and I hope you will
consider it fair and in the interest of "Free Software" for all as you
clearly put it.
Why not advocate and request also from the FSF and from the GPL
developers as you are the main person in the GPL license to extend the
same hand and "Free Software" as you fight for and when a BSD write a
great piece of software and that anyone in GNU, FSF or using the GPL
find it worth to use and import, why not request to keep it under the
same license as it's origin instead of locking it in the GPL at import
time and then lock out the original developers of the BSD side.
All fight aside, I really do not think it is asking to much is it?
This way, what was given as "Free Software" will stay as free software
of all and not exclude a big part of them.
If you just sit back and think about this and about your goal in life of
"Free Software" I would think you would fine it fare would you?
You don't bite the hand that feed you and as such, I would think working
together in the interest of "Free Software" would benefit all and having
you also request the same would just be fair and fantastic in the
interest of "Free Software".
Let a software be under it's license of choice by the author from it's
birth to it's death.
If a great GPL software is written and xBSD would love to use it, an in
case of OpenBSD for example will have to re-write it under a BSD license
if they want to have it in base and they will do so if worth the effort.
However the GPL can just import it as is and as such the burning of the
license choice is on the BSD side, not the GPL side.
So, why not respect it and keep it as such and contribute back under the
BSD, when the original BSD license software was taken. It's only fair
and it is fully in the interest of "Free Software".
It sure in that case anyway allow for more users to fully use that "Free
Software" and if your goal as clearly stated here is that "Free
Software" then doing so, would actually spread that "Free Software" even
more.
Just something to think about in this holiday season. It sure would make
a wonderful gift of "Free Software" to all if you would see it as such
and not deviate from your goal, but fighting for it even more and
respecting other introductions of "Free Software"
Please, think about it before you reply if you do. It's important and is
fully in line with your life time fight and goal of "Free Software"
Best regards,
Daniel
