[Sussex] GNU, things to come?

[Steve Dobson]

All

Geoff wrote:
> Angelo Wrote:
<snip>
> > I wonder, as Linux becomes more and more an accepted paradigm in
corporate 
> > life, will the GNU philosophy begin the big melt in working practices?
>
> A good question.  This is one that divides the community - if you know
> your history....
<snip>
> It should be noted that Free Software is about freedoms implied in the
> license, not about price.  If I chose to I could sell you a GPL licensed
> program (something exciting like xBill) for £60,000 with a years support
> contract - if you're silly enough to pay that price then the deal is
> perfectly legal.
> 
> I would imagine that a straw poll of the LUG would result in quite a
> range of opinions on the subject.  My own view leans towards the GNU/FSF
> standpoint - but then as you will come to realise, I am an idealist and
> a political beast at the best of times.  I set out my stall early on - I
> wore my GNU and GPL teeshirt to the very first LUG meet.

Like Geoff I lean towards the GNU/FSF standpoint.

As I see it the Law is not there to tell "the people" how to behave; our
moreals do that.  The Law is there to define the rules and punishment
thereof
of those members of socity that do not want to follow decent human behavour.
[my flamesuit is on Geoff(Sarah) :-)].  Likewise, I use the GPL because if
forces users of the software to contribute back into the community - which 
the correct and rightous thing to do.  But I do see the argument from the
other camp that the GPL is like a virus.

As time goes one I think we'll see more and more companies adopting OSS.
In fact I think that this century will see a vast change in the way
companies
do (and are allowed to do) business.  The scandles on Wall St. receitly
shows
what happens when things get out of hand.  As the last century was to public
health (at least in the West) so this century will be to business practices.

Steve