Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Fri, 3 Jan 2003 22:02:02 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Fri, 3 Jan 2003 22:02:02 -0500 Received: from mail.webmaster.com ([216.152.64.131]:25811 "EHLO shell.webmaster.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id convert rfc822-to-8bit; Fri, 3 Jan 2003 22:02:00 -0500 From: David Schwartz To: CC: X-Mailer: PocoMail 2.63 (1077) - Licensed Version Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 19:10:30 -0800 In-Reply-To: Subject: Re: Why is Nvidia given GPL'd code to use in non-free drivers? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Message-ID: <20030104031031.AAA17564@shell.webmaster.com@whenever> Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 2745 Lines: 63 On Fri, 03 Jan 2003 15:30:32 -0500, Richard Stallman wrote: >You don't really have freedom now, if you need a non-free module. In >the long run, your best chance of being able to use a fully free >GNU/Linux system on the hardware you use is if we stand firm together >for the freedom of the system. But I don't want to coerce other people into providing me with my freedom. >If open source is so good, companies with closed source products will >change. Yes, even without being coerced and pressured to do so by restrictive licenses. >I don't support the open source movement, but I know what they say >about this. They say that open source usually leads to more powerful >and reliable software. Nothing assures us that will persuade all >companies to adopt the practice. You have simplified their position >to a point where they would not recognize it. The point is not to persuade companies to adopt the practice. The point is to show that the practice is superior and let the companies that adopt it prosper and those who don't fail. The GPL weakens this position by providing proprietary software with an excuse. It is roughly comparable to the United States embargo on Cuba. We want Cuba to change, so we don't let them use any of our stuff. Force them to be free, or we won't touch 'em. It fails for the same reason. If you believe in freedom, set the example. Set people free. Defend fair use, first sale, and a very strict definition of a derived work. That's real freedom, and the GPL works against it by attempting to coerce freedom by using legal tools that problably shouldn't exist. >You seem to be saying that we should sit back and let these inevitable >forces either convince all companies to make software free--or not. No. We're saying that we shouldn't try to rig the system. We should allow free software to win in a fair fight. Not by using vicious legal tools to coerce others to provide your freedom. >If we had such a passive attitude, no free system would exist. >GNU/Linux exists because of people who were willing to work to have >freedom. Freedom does not yet prevail, and we have plenty more work >to do to make that happen. And after we fully have freedom, we will >still have to work, to make sure we don't lose it. Defending shrink wrap licensing agreements, arguing to weaken fair use and first sale doctrines, and arguing that if you include a header it's a derived work is a strange way to defend intellectual freedom. DS - 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/