Re: US court says software is owned, not licensed

[Rjack]

Alan Mackenzie wrote:

> They would do it differently, of course; hindsight is a wonderful 
> thing. But the fact remains that it was and is under the GPL that 
> most free and open source software has been written.

Fact eh? Still on the crusade concerning the definition of "free" as
used in the English language? The GPL (if it were enforceable) is a
highly restrictive license which attempts to assume control of other's
exclusive copyrights.

The Free Software Foundation has attempted to implement a strategy
well know in electoral politics -- repeat an obvious falsehood often
enough and loud enough so that it assumes an aura of truth to the
gullible. Kudos to Eric Raymond for exposing the farce that calling
something "Free" makes it free e.g. "Free Software is free".

> There's comparatively little under the BSD licence, for example, 
> which strongly suggests that the GPL has, in the main, got things 
> right.

GNUtians remind me the current members of the "Tea Party" protests
occurring here in the U.S. (GNUtians may have a little more focus).

Strength of belief does not make something true -- verifiable facts do.

Sincerely,
Rjack