Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Mon, 21 Oct 2002 23:32:32 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Mon, 21 Oct 2002 23:32:32 -0400 Received: from stroke.of.genius.brain.org ([206.80.113.1]:38331 "EHLO stroke.of.genius.brain.org") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id ; Mon, 21 Oct 2002 23:32:31 -0400 Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 23:38:34 -0400 From: "Murray J. Root" To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: Bitkeeper outrage, old and new Message-ID: <20021022033834.GA24991@Master.Wizards> Mail-Followup-To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org References: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: User-Agent: Mutt/1.4i Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 2462 Lines: 49 On Mon, Oct 21, 2002 at 11:12:53PM -0400, Richard Stallman wrote: > Nobody's evil or stupid or naive just because they make a certain > licensing choice. > > It is a stretch to conclude anything about the general attitude or > character of a person from one action, so I would not say the people > who distribute non-free software are "evil people" in a general sense. > I will say they have done one thing that is evil: distributing a > non-free program. > > Non-free software licenses are designed to divide and dominate the > users, denying them the basic freedoms for software users. That's > what makes them non-free, and that is what makes it wrong. Non-free > software is a social problem, one that we need to solve if computer > users are to have freedom. > > There are many different ways people make money; some are ethical > while others involve mistreating others. If we accept "making a > living" as a valid excuse to mistreat people, we will be mistreated > constantly. There comes a time when we have to say that we are not > impressed by the argument that "We need to do this to people in order > to make a living." It's a simple concept. I produced it, it's mine until I say otherwise. You grant other laborers the right to profit from their labors, do you not? Setting standards the way you have is arbitrary and high-handed. Calling people (or their actions) "evil" because they prefer to code for a living rather than dig ditches or answer telephones is rather arrogant and self-righteous. My charging for software *I* write is not immoral or unethical - it is what I do and it is perfectly legitimate. It is NOT the same as claiming a criminal/immoral/unethical act - you still want me to produce software - you just want me to do it for free. And no, I am not doing anything to people - they are free to not use my software. The majority of the world gets along just fine without it. -- Murray J. Root ------------------------------------------------ DISCLAIMER: http://www.goldmark.org/jeff/stupid-disclaimers/ ------------------------------------------------ Mandrake on irc.freenode.net: #mandrake & #mandrake-linux = help for newbies #mdk-cooker = Mandrake Cooker - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/