[Gllug] Priracy.

[John Hearns]

My own take on this discussion is that Linux/GNU software users should
never be seen to, or even appear to be condoning or encouraging software
piracy (please, let's not debate the exact meanings etc of that word).
If we are seen doing that, it then becomes easy to associate us with
'crackers', 'viral software' writers etc. etc.

Linux, and GNU, Apache, XFree86, should, and do, stand on their own
merits. 

And another thing, while I'm on my soapbox, why all the comparisons with
Microsoft?
My own introduction to GNU software came at the time of Suns change from
SunOS to Solaris - and the unbundling and charging of real money for a C
compiler. The imaging unit I worked in then looked at gcc as an
alternative - and found it good. Then came my realisation that the
equivalent of a 10000 UKP Unix workstation could be had on a normal
desktop PC using Linux. 

That fascination still continues - I read in Linux Jornal that SGI's
Open Inventor has been open sourced as Coin http://www.coin3d.org/
Wow! Double wow! You can now do things which you needed a 20000 UKP SGI
workstation for only a few years ago - kit which only scientists in
research labs, or people in post-production houses had.

And remember, IMHO Linux first found its feet in industry during the
.com era, as a platform for deploying Apache, in preference to
commercial Unixes really, rather then Windows.

So lets remind ourselves of the enthusiasm we have for Linux - an
enthusiasm we have because of the power and elegance, and downright fun
we get with it.






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