[TriLUG] GPLv3 -- What do you think?

[Cristobal Palmer]

> It seems to me that there is enough new stuff/potential cruft in v3
> including substantial new usage restrictions (where's the freedom
> there?) so as to recommend caution, and perhaps even a retraction of
> the "or any later version" language in new releases of existing code.
> Better to wait to see how v3 comes out in the end than trust all will
> turn out well.

Note that v3 is just a draft. Can anyone release under v3 and actually
have it be binding in any way at this point? I think not, but IANAL.

/me puts on RMS hat.

Where's the freedom in that? You're restricting your view of what
constitutes a user. You and Linus are both only looking at the "mad
scientist" who made the original laser-equipped shark and not the many
other "mad scientists" who want to hack the shark to add Ham Radio
features. RMS values the rights of both groups, arguably the latter
group more than the former, which is understandable (it is democratic
in spirit, after all--restrict the freedoms of the fewest people).

/me takes off RMS hat

That said, I really have no clue how many people _actually_ want to
hack the $APLIANCE purchased from the "mad scientist" (how many people
would be inconvenienced), and I don't know how many mad scientists
really want to lock down their hardware, but honestly... it's not mad
scientists I'm worried about. It's $MEGAVENDOR and the next product
that becomes as pervasive as the microwave.

Did you read the Forbes article? Linus said that he has no interest in
hacking devices other than PCs. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have quite
the same objections if he did have that interest.

Peace,
CMP

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--

Cristobal M. Palmer
UNC-CH SILS Student
cristobalpalmer at gmail.com
cmpalmer at ils.unc.edu
ils.unc.edu/~cmpalmer
"Television-free since 2003"