Re: Virtually Zero-Overhead Object Management is neither free software nor open source software

[Anthony Williams]

J de Boyne Pollard <j.deboynepollard@tesco.net> writes:

> JdeBP> Incorrect.  Come now!  This is a GPL Frequently Given
> JdeBP> Answer.  The correct answer, which you will find at
> JdeBP> <URL:http://fsf.org./licensing/licenses/gpl-
> faq.html#DoesTheGPLAllowMoney>,
> JdeBP> as well as on Hoard's own web site at
> JdeBP> <URL:http://prisms.cs.umass.edu./emery/index.php?
> page=frequently-asked-questions-2>,
> JdeBP> is that one can sell a product that incorporates free
> JdeBP> software, such as Hoard, as long as thatproduct is
> JdeBP> itself free software.  In other words, the product
> JdeBP> incorporating the code must, overall, provide users
> JdeBP> with the same four freedoms from the Free Software
> JdeBP> Definition that the incorporated code does.
>
> AW> My assumption was that when Chris said "charge a
> AW> fee for a commerical product" he meant a CLOSED
> AW> SOURCE product, or at least one that wasn't itself GPL.
>
> That assumption, that "commercial" and "closed source" are synonyms,
> is _exactly_ the error that the GPL FGA is combatting.

My assumption was about Chris's use of the term, not about "commercial" and
"closed source" in general --- I know many examples of software licensed under
the GPL which you can pay money for. However, given the common misconceptions
it's probably wise to make that explicit.

Anthony
-- 
Anthony Williams
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