On 01/09/2011 03:33 AM, Kenneth Gonsalves wrote:
On Sat, 2011-01-08 at 19:43 +0530, Rony wrote:
Even closed commercial software is popular so what?
In a nutshell, we can separate BSD and GPL in terms of software freedom like this.
BSD believes that something is better than nothing.
GPL believes that either it is full freedom or nothing.
/me bangs his head on the keyboard
ROFL ! The reason I am LOLing is, I had starting posting something along the lines below but then got distracted and then I didn't bother completing since BSD Vs GPL is a never-ending debate.
However, I found your response funny enough to warrant completing this:
------------------------------------- See, that thing that you would typically feel if I were to take your BSD licensed code and redistribute it under the GPL (ensuring that you cannot use my modifications without compromising your license), is the same as what GPLwallas feel when somebody wants to take their code and wants to redistribute it in a closed manner. So, from a GPLwalla's perspective, BSD is one-step-removed from the 'proprietary-zation' of software.
So, the GPLwallas ensure that this does not happen and live happily whereas there are times when you will fret and fume and stay angry because you cannot force, only persuade.
GPLwallas prefer that everyone plays by the same rules and thus stay happy (and more productive) rather than let it be a free-for-all-no-rules and then fret, fume and flame because somebody didn't play as fairly as you hoped (and I am talking /not only/ of people who close BSD code, but also the GPLwallas who take your code and turn it into GPL). -------------------------------------
I know ^^^^ that's not exactly the reason you are banging your head, but you are banging it nonetheless since you just can't seem to convince people in either simple or a long-winded manner just /how/ BSD is ^more free^. heh
cheers, - steve