Re: The worst that can happen to GPLed code

[Stefaan A Eeckels]

On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 12:35:27 +0200
Alexander Terekhov <terekhov@web.de> wrote:

> 
> Stefaan A Eeckels wrote:
> [...]
> > distributions. His stance is most definitely not your
> > "the moment you can download gratis copies licenses
> > don't matter, and you can do as you please with all
> > or part of the software".
> 
> except that you can't distribute modified parts without permission.

Re-using bits and pieces of software you didn't
write, and including them in an executable,
unless specifically allowed by the author, is
off-limits in my book. You interpret the use of
(part of) a source file in your program as 
making a compilation (which to any honourable
software developer is a far stretch), and because
you don't "modify" what you took, you think
you can distribute the "compilation" under the
conditions you choose. 

I'd venture to say that for 99% of software 
developers this is a feeble rationalisation for
the misappropriation of someone else's work. 
If the RIAA can call copying a CD piracy, I
guess I can call this simply "theft". The fact
that you bring in your dislike for the FSF's
interpretation of copyright as an additional
justification only makes it worse.

Be honourable, write your own code. 

-- 
Stefaan
-- 
"What is stated clearly conceives easily."  -- Inspired sales droid