[nycbug-talk] wasabi

[Marco Scoffier]

On Mon, Jan 23, 2006 at 09:07:00AM -0800, pete wright wrote:
>since we are throwing links around today:
>
>http://www.wasabisystems.com/gpl/index.html
>
>probably one of the best written explanations regarding GPL's impact
>from a business perspective IMO.
>

"[GPL] requires that any source code that is changed also be released
free of charge"

I believe that the "free of charge" is completely misleading.  You can
charge as much as you want, for the software and its source code
together.  You are just required to give your customers the source, so
that they are not stuck with an unmaintainable product when your company
dies.  That is the deal, you are not required to give your code to
everyone in the universe free of charge.

from the second page:
"donate the code you paid to create to anyone who wants it"

This is also wrong.  You just need to make the source code available to
those who recieve the product.  If you give your product to everyone you
give the code to everyone.  If you sell for $1Million to a single client
you are required to give that one client the source.

I get a little impatient with the way people demonize the GPL by
twisting words around.  Quite frankly I don't give a damn if someone
uses some BSD-licensed code only to sell me a proprietary product, for
all I know they have broken it, and I'll be stuck with a lemon I can't
fix.	

If you think I am mistaken please correct without flaming thank you.

-- 
Marco