Re: SFLC is succeeding.

[Alan Mackenzie]

In gnu.misc.discuss RJack <user@example.net> wrote:
> Hyman Rosen wrote:
>> On 1/11/2010 11:34 AM, RJack wrote:
>>> UHHHH..... Doesn't look like Google embraced the GPL to me

"Embrace" is a silly word here.  Firms don't wrap their arms round
software to give it hugs.  "Embrace" is one of these well-nigh
meaningless words loved by market droids, one which sound really positive
and friendly, yet can be used when the user is anxious to avoid being
pinned down to any precise meaning.  It looks like that's how you've used
the word above.

>> Android runs a Linux kernel. Linux is distributed under the GPL. 
>> Google could have chosen a non-GPLed kernel, as Apple did. But they 
>> did not. Google uses a variety of licenses. For example, Google 
>> Chromium is BSD-licensed 
>> <http://code.google.com/chromium/terms.html>.

> Android is NOT Linux, no matter how you spin it Hyman

RJack, "is" isn't a helpful word, here.  Android contains Linux, and
includes other software too.  You may be getting confused between Linux
the kernel and the multitude of "Linux"es which, along with the kernel,
include GNU system software and tools, BSD licensed networking stuff and
MIT licensed X11.  In that sense, Android "is" just as much a "Linux" as
Red Hat, or SuSE, or Debian, or Gentoo, or ......

> Sincerely,
> RJack :)

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Nurmberg, Germany).