Re: [OT] Re: Bitkeeper outrage, old and new

David Lloyd
2002-10-22T05:51:08Z

Hang on a moment,

> Basically, he's trying to set limits on what I do with what I created.

But so do proprietary licences...and therein lies the problem. In fact
virtually any licence will set limits on what you can do with what you
created for some dfinition of "setting limits".

> I contribute time and effort to open source because I want to return
> something for all the benefit I get out of it, not because some
> self-appointed arbiter of morals tells me I should.

And therein lies the answer to the problem. Rather than stand around and
have a good old, foot stomping, nonsensical discussion which has
already been done to death before, let's just step aside and acknowledge
we're here because we want to be.

If some self-appointed arbiter decides to tell me I should be here, then
let him or her have his or her flights of fancy. Shockingly enough I
might actually agree with some or all of what that arbiter says. If I
don't agree with the reasons, surely the effects are the same: I am here
but not for the reasons given.

I've watched this thread silently and everyone--Stallman, Larry and all
the rest of us--are making perfect sense for our own world views. I
don't agree totally with any of them, I'll be modernist and pick and
choose from all of the view put forward and believe what I want. But the
effects are the same: I am here.

We need people with strong points of view, with a capability of putting
forward these points of views. The answer is to listen carefully to what
they really are saying and to follow what we believe is right.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

I'd be willing to invite Stallman or any other colourful characters who
apparently should be banned from the kernel mailing list to dinner and
discussion. I'm sure at the end of the night I'd find I couldn't support
all of their arguments in their entirety but I'd be a more well-informed
participant because of it.

DSL

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