On Wed, 2006-01-18 at 07:40 -0600, Les Mikesell wrote: > On Wed, 2006-01-18 at 06:15, Andy Green wrote: > > > > What I don't really understand is how you go *poof* out of the market > > > when you sell gadgets that need a open source driver ? People still > > > would have to by the gadget, wouldn't they ? > > > > The worry is that when much of what makes the gadget innovative is tied > > up in the code that must be opened, people will indeed still buy the > > gadget, but perhaps not from the original author of the opened code... > > Or, the gadget depends on code already written and under another > license. The GPL is all-or-nothing in this regard so if any > component (with some interpretation of components...) needs > a non-GPL license, none can have it. Personally I think this > is indefensibly anti-competitive. Imagine if Microsoft said > that if you used any 3rd party DLLs along with their code > the 3rd party code suddenly become controlled by Microsoft's > license. Imagine if Microsoft said you had to pay to use that DLL ? Oh wait they do. Imagine if Microsoft said you where not allowed to use that DLL with open source software, oh wait they do. Imagine if Microsoft said you where not allowed to redistribute the DLL, oh wait they do. Imagine if Microsoft attached a license to the DLL, that forces all your clients to allow Microsoft to audit them, oh wait they do. Imagine if Microsoft said they patented all kind of software and you have to pay them even if you wrote the software yourself, oh wait they do. Imagine if Microsoft said you don't get the source code so you can debug your own software, oh wait the do. > I'm not a lawyer, and even if I were I wouldn't risk > a business on that interpretation, but there is just something > wrong with the concept that you can't combine different products > to add value. Yep there is something wrong with it, i wanted to add a device driver to Windows and distribute my new Erwindows but Microsoft didn't let me, I wonder why, i mean i used a closed license just like windows, and it added great value. - Erwin
