On Tue, 2003-01-21 at 10:10, Dileep M. Kumar wrote:

You are wrong Mr. Sasi Kumar. Even RMS wont agree to your argument. It may be true for a general purpose software like an editor. But programs for specific industry need not be or rather should not be freely (as in free beer) available on net. Pls refer the discussions on LIG some time back where for a similar case (RMS himself have replied to it).

Maybe I am wrong. But I still have my doubts on some aspects. If a programmer or a company develops a custom solution for an organisation, say a bank or any company, then that certainly need not be openly available. The developers charge the customer for the work they do, and that is the end of it. But suppose they develop an application and sell it to different customers. I think there is a slight difference here. The implication here is that the application can be used by many people, organisations, or whatever, and is not customised for one customer. In such a situation, I feel that there could be many others who could use it, in the same region of the world where the developers work or outside. In such a case, is it not advisable for the software to be available freely? Further, in such a situation, would it not lead to further developments on the software by other programmers around the world? Again, maybe I am wrong. But it appears that these issues need to be discussed and ideas clarified.

I appreciate OSS for showing others "We can make a living using Free software business".

as far as GPL is concerned, you will be violating the spirit behind it. It could also be sending the wrong message to society.

No. Not at all. Pls support OSS and similar industries so that the idea of Free software business grows. Let's not kill or blame such a movement. They are helping the FSF movement. They also should make a living ... there is nothing wrong in it.

I certainly do appreciate OSS for the work they have done and the work they are doing. But that does not mean that I should agree with everything they do or say. Further, I am not trying to kill the organisation (which I could hardly ever think of doing, or be able to, for that matter) or blaming them. I hardly know the people involved. Again, that does not mean that I should blindly accept everything they say or do. I may still recommend their product if somebody happened to ask me, without even knowing how well it works, simply because it is GPLed. These are separate issues and let us not mix them up. On the other hand, I cannot accept the argument like "they also have to make a living". Because that could be used to justify anything.

Don't blame somebody for something which we never does ourself.

I am not a programmer, and I do not make a living out of software. So, I am sorry, I cannot reply that I put up all my work for free download.

Regards V. Sasi Kumar