[GTALUG] "'Opens source' is not 'free software'"

[ac]

On Thu, 13 Jul 2017 10:24:47 -0400
Alvin Starr via talk <talk at gtalug.org> wrote:
> I believe the difference is that BSD allows an end user to take the
> code and make the code part of a closed product where enchantments
> and changes to the code are not shared.
> 
> So the next person in the chain cannot have the advantage of access
> to the source.
> 
> I believe that the Microsoft network stack is an example of this,
> where MS took the BSD network stack and incorporated it into Windows
> but none of the  BSD code or changes were visible to purchasers or
> normal developers  of Windows.
> 
> Its about propagation of freedom.
> 
hey Alvin, long time no chat :)

Imagine how much more Windows would have sucked if it was not for BSD licensing :)

seriously though, sometimes it is in the best interest of everyone to
have dev freedom... Let me mention PostgreSQL, which has spawned many
small companies, which has allowed companies to 'own' their own
customizations and enabled many (like me) to offer the single end user,
their own code - some of the customizations to that codebase would
never be of much benefit to anyone, except the company paying for the
dev... Heck, PostgreSQL even spawned entire companies... 

Anyway, the debate is not like religion at all (as someone else said) 

it is actual application - BSD licensing has its place and GPL
licensing has its very important place... 

Andre