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Weblog:   Creativity, Flow, and Joy in Programming
Subject:   I love to program, too. But...
Date:   2002-08-05 05:44:58
From:   chexsum
Response to: I love to program, too. But...

The correct world is "commercial," not proprietary.


You are telling me what I am thinking? I know the difference between Commercial and Proprietory and I only dislike Proprietory programs. Commercial programs can be used alongside Free Software. Commercial Software is sometimes a necessity and is sometimes better.


Then how can you presume to understand my situation?


I do understand part of your situation but as I stated, I do not work in the industry, I am only giving you my opinion about why I choose Free Software. I have programmed for a long time, I started when I was ~10 years old and grew out of it at ~17 as it wasnt morally and financially viable to pursue my hobby further (read: Profession). I did not presume anything about you that you didnt write in your comment, you said you may not have any food as a result of your code being GPLed. I think it is safe for me to 'assume' that you are a Programmer of Proprietory Software.


You claim the GNU Operating System cannot exist and that Free Software cannot have a 'professional image'. In the real world GNU runs alot of the Internet and is starting to run alot of Workstations not to mention alot of embedded devices. A lot of your comments are pure propaganda (read: FUD) and your views are tainted by money from what I have read. I am very open to learning and you taught me nothing today that I didnt already know.


Insert coin to play again.


PS. I work in the Automotive Industry, I am not exactly putting an industry out of business when I fix a car at home. I hope to work with computers one day as that is where my talents are, sure I can get a panel straight as a rule but I can also fix a problem with a computer in less time than most people. I would never want to make more than enough money to put food on the table and to support my few hobbies. You probably are overpaid and underworked but I do not make assumptions and I do not seek to change your situation.

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Showing messages 1 through 6 of 6.

  • I love to program, too. But...
    2002-08-05 12:07:58  brettglass [Reply | View]

    You write:

    > You are telling me what I am thinking?

    No, I'm telling you that you're misusing
    terminology in a way that's intended to confuse
    and mislead.... Just as the FSF does in its
    propaganda. If you're smart, you won't be fooled
    by that propaganda.

    > I know the difference between Commercial and
    > Proprietory and I only dislike Proprietory
    > programs.

    If that were true, then you would not support
    the GPL. The purpose of the GPL is to destroy
    vendors and authors of *commercial* software.

    > You claim the GNU Operating System cannot exist

    No, I did not claim that. However, I do state
    that the GPL is unconscionable (and likely
    unenforceable) and that such code should be
    licensed under a truly free license -- not one
    which makes the code very un-free as the GPL
    does. (I note that you use the term "Free
    Software", with initial caps, indicating that
    you may have swallowed the FSF's propaganda hook,
    line and sinker. I hope that this is not the case.

    > A lot of your comments are pure propaganda

    Not so at all. They're supported, 100%, by fact,
    and their purpose is to expose the FSF's
    misleading and deceptive propaganda.

    > and your views are tainted by money from
    > what I have read.

    I see. You claim that you work as a mechanic.
    Does that mean that if you believe that you
    should be paid for your work your views are
    "tainted by money?"

    > Insert coin to play again.

    No thanks. You sound too much like a broken
    record -- parroting the FSF's "party line" --
    already.

    --Brett Glass
    • I love to program, too. But...
      2002-08-22 07:54:49  cortlandt [Reply | View]

      Thank You Brett,

      I don't know what to believe yet, but I think you have made some good points here and I sympathise with the effects to you personally.

      What little I have done I've given to the public free for whatever use is desired and if this article's survey is accurate, that's the way it should be.

      Chexsum. Given your motivations, do you see any reason not to use the BSD license instead of GPL?
      • I love to program, too. But...
        2002-09-02 05:14:25  chexsum [Reply | View]

        I don't know what to believe yet, but I think you have made some good points here and I sympathise with the effects to you personally.

        "For every action there is an equal and opposing reaction." -- author unknown.

        Its sad that people are hurt by natural forces. =\
      • I love to program, too. But...
        2002-09-02 04:35:43  chexsum [Reply | View]

        Given your motivations, do you see any reason not to use the BSD license instead of GPL?

        Yes.

        Firstly, I do not program much anymore and do not program many tools that satisfies other peoples needs or which dont already have a tool that does the job. If I was to release an original or better method of performing a task as a program I have more motivation to do it if the methods or outcome could be exploited as freely as possible (without it being exploited in a proprietary way).

        Secondly, I believe it is a requirement that a programs source code be released in the definition described at www.opensource.com if the software industry (or an institution that relies on that software) is to be benefitted by a method that a program performs or by the programs output when the intent of producing the method is to benefit the software industry (or an institution which relies on that software).

        In my youth I would give code away (it was not hard to commit to this when you programmed in C=64 machine code) without caring about copyrights, licenses or monetary returns. Others put a notice asking for a donation of $1 or something similar and some people copyrighted their code and some people also asked for money only when their creation was commercialized. I enjoyed using the public domain software and contributed back any improvement and useful code which I created.

        The BSD License is OK but it isnt my first choice in licenses to use to protect my motivation to program. I do use FreeBSD and I use FreeBSD without using its ports system as the BSD system works well. If I was to write a free tool for BSD to replace a GNU tool which BSD did not have I would license it under the BSD License as it would possibly be beneficial to BSD (the BSD License isnt too intrusive to my well being). If I was to enhance a BSD tool I could not think about not licensing it under the terms of the BSD license.

        All licenses are evil to someone who codes for fun but the GNU GPL protects ones freedom and motivation to program (and other peoples involvement in this) more than all other licenses which are known by me. I do like the Artistic, GPL, LGPL and BSD licenses more than any other software license but the choice of which one to use depends on the function of the software.

        PS. It is true that the GNU GPL is harsh in todays business world but it protects the software industries ecology. If I was to choose ONE license for all facets of software which need protection from demotivational exploitation I would choose a GNU license.

        NB. I am not a lawyer, programmer, businessman, professional or tradesman. I enjoy all facets of computing as computing is a hobby which I pursue. GNU/Linux is a great system and I love participating in the community that the GNU GPL helped to evolve and hope an industry continues to evolve with it.

        *one hour of editing for this one post - sheesh*
        • Woops, wrong URI in my post!!!
          2002-09-02 05:20:29  chexsum [Reply | View]

          www.opensource.com should be http://www.opensource.org. =)

          Grrr@RedCrap!!!

          Over and out.
    • I love to program, too. But...
      2002-08-08 02:22:02  chexsum [Reply | View]

      http://www.adti.net/html_files/defense/need%20to%20purchase%20opensource%20white%20paper.pdf is an interesting read.

Showing messages 1 through 6 of 6.