Re: People, not GPL [was: Re: Driver Model]

Timothy Miller
2003-09-12T20:42:43Z

David Schwartz wrote:
>>On Wed, 10 Sep 2003 22:40:14 +0200, you wrote in linux.kernel:
>
>
>>>However, Richard Stallman does not agree with this view. It's his
>>>view that if the authors chose to give you the code, you can use it any
>>>way you want to, regardless of how the authors feel about that type of
>>>usage. This is why he created the GPL.
>>
>
>>Use in any way you want to is the BSD license, not the GPL.
>
>
> Please show me one restriction on *use* in the GPL.
>
> "Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not
> covered by this License; they are outside its scope. The act of
> running the Program is not restricted, and the output from the Program
> is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on the
> Program (independent of having been made by running the Program).
> Whether that is true depends on what the Program does."
>
> Licenses that place restrictions on usage are *not* open source licenses.

What about "usage" of source code?

GPL says you are not allowed to "use" GPL source in a non-free program
that you publish.

>
>>The GPL
>>does restrict what you're allowed to do in order to keep the source
>>free...
>
>
> Yes, it restricts your ability to distribute and your ability to create
> derived works if and only if you distribute those derived works. It places
> no restrictions whatsoever on use. And since it requires distributors to
> place no restrictions not in the GPL, distributors cannot place *any*
> restrictions on usage either.

I don't think anyone was talking about use of applications, but rather
use of source code.