[Liverpool] OtherOS-on-Linux or Linux-on-OtherOS? was "Multi-Boot Query"

[Simon Johnson]

> I think you misunderstand the FSF's position. They oppose copyright
> because it creates my right to control distribution of my work, by
> forbidding everyone else on the planet to do things that do not affect
> me and that I wouldn't know about without being told


This is often repeated on the Internet but it isn't actually true.

If the FSF really believed this to be true, they'd license everything under
BSD. If I take Emacs, make some modifications and then sell that without
providing the source, the FSF definitely would care about that. Even though
that "does not affect the FSF and that the FSF wouldn't know about without
being told."


>
> For the FSF, GPL is a tool for encouraging people to not use copyright,
> by giving them the incentive of being able to use all of the existing
> GPLed code.


This is incorrect too. In a world without copyright all software would have
an effective license of BSD. I could take code from Emacs and put in to my
own text editor and sell it as a commericial venture and there would  be
nothing that anyone could do about it. The GPL would be unenforcable.


> GPL creates a in-group of people who can freely distribute
> and modify the group's software, and the way to get into the group is to
> turn your back on copyright, to choose to respect the freedom-to-share
> of others within the group by not asserting that your freedom-to-control
> takes priority.


You're right that the GPL creates an "in-group" of people who can freely
distribute and modify the group's software. However, in order for this group
to have an legal protection it requires strong copyright laws. This is the
power of the GPL and basing the unit of value around the *source
code*rather than the
*binaries* is the innovation that created so much high quality software.

It's also worth noting that freedom-to-share is curtailed under GPL. You're
only allowed to share provided you share the source code too.  Under BSD,
your freedom to distribute is not curtailed in any way.

Kind Regards,

Simon Johnson
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