Re: Why is Nvidia given GPL'd code to use in closed source drivers?

Larry McVoy
2003-01-03T16:36:50Z

> However, with a license like the GPL, every game has to be developed on a
> proprietary base. You simply can't afford to put any money into an open
> source base. So every game has to start back from square one, or the most
> advanced proprietary base that can be found.

Back in the heyday of attention to open source, I spent hours and hours
and hours on the phone with Raymond trying to get the OSI to come up with
a "business source license" which would address some of these issues.
think there is a strong need for something like that, but the GPL
fanatics are desperate to paint the world as black or white and force
people into an entirely open or entirely closed choice. The reason they
want to do this is that they know darn well that it is always the middle
of the road compromise which wins, and they don't want to compromise.
So we get these endless tirades about how the GPL is the One True Way
and anything else is Evil.

It was most unfortunate that I couldn't get anywhere with ESR. If he and
the OSI had come up with some compromises, rather than just pandering to a
small but vocal group, I think that he would have cemented a significant
place in history. I am positive that the world will eventually move in
directions where there is some sort of compromise, maybe something like
you get N years of closed use and then the old stuff has to be opened,
whatever. The world already understands that you need to make money to
survive and the world is starting to understand that there is value in
having things be open.
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Larry McVoy lm at bitmover.com http://www.bitmover.com/lm