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Weblog:   Is Linksys shirking the GPL? (Maybe not.)
Subject:   All of this shows the danger of GPLed software to programmers and innovators
Date:   2003-07-31 23:10:05
From:   anonymous2
This whole affair demonstrates the true nature of the GPL. It's designed to sabotage businesses. In particular, it's intended to strip them of the ability to add unique value to their products -- which, in turn, is an essential element of success. VA Linux had to drop out of the hardware business because they couldn't get a competitive edge -- which happened, in turn, because they embraced GPLed code. Linksys, if the GPL zealots have their way, will go the same route.


Linksys was foolish indeed to use GPLed code at all. Instead, they should have used BSD-licensed code, which is friendly to programmers and to the businesses which issue their paychecks. The BSD and MIT licenses, as well as other truly free licenses, promote innovation and allow programmers to be rewarded for innovating. The viral, spiteful, anti-business, anti-programmer GPL does the opposite.


--Brett Glass
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Showing messages 1 through 2 of 2.

  • All of this shows the danger of GPLed software to programmers and innovators
    2003-11-27 06:24:06  anonymous2 [View]

    Your initials as well as your views are the same as that of another
    B.G.
    just a coincidence?
  • All of this shows the danger of GPLed software to programmers and innovators
    2003-08-01 05:34:52  anonymous2 [View]

    Brett --

    there are also many, many successful companies out there who write GPL'd code, and many sucessful end-users of that code, which is something that cannot be denied. As usual, your remarks are pretty inflammatory, and reveals your lack of insight about the GPL and the companies that use it, and futhers the terrible (and incorrect) stereotype of veteran BSD users' rhetoric.

    The common misconception (one that you fall prey to quite a bit) is that companies who write GPL'd code don't place all of their value of their business into just the code...they also hold value (and quite alot of it) in support and consultancy, something that the BSD community does not have in such a large scale. But that's ok, because BSD'd code and its commuities have other good points. Here are the apples, there are the oranges.

    There are great things about BSD-licensed code. But there is also great things about companies who use GPL'd code. You're just not seeing them, because you have some blinders on. I would argue that the programmers who work for IBM, RedHat, Suse, etc. feel as though their paycheck is quite friendly.

    Like I have said elsewhere, for every "viral" pro-GPL zealout out there, there is an equally zealous veteran pro-BSD person who may or may not be upset that their favorite OS isn't getting quite as much attention as Linux.

    My unsolicited advice to you is: don't worry so much about it, and try to realize that the goals and characteristics of both licenses have their good and bad points.
Showing messages 1 through 2 of 2.