23 November 2006
GPL version 3 to foil MS plans
There are statements being made that the next version of the GNU Public license will include a clause that any company joining in a pact to not sue will carry over to everything within the GPL license.
The problem here is that Linux is leaning toward staying with the GPL version 2 license which doesn't have this protection. While Ballmer's idea that Linux is using MS code is complete rubbish and I'm certain that after some time a court would prove this, it would be nicer to eliminate the whole matter and more importantly shut Ballmer up.
I'm not a fan of the anti-DRM phrase, even though I am completely against DRMs. Open source is about freedom and preventing someone from adding a DRM is limiting their freedom, but then again the DRM is limiting the user's freedom. It's a double edged sword.
But for Linux and the whole open source community, it would be a good idea to talk it over and compromise on GPL version 3 and apply all of the software including Linux to it. It will keep Linux competitive and prevent companies like Microsoft from throwing their weight to try to destroy it.
And as for Microsoft, their current behaviour is an all time low even for them. When the competition becomes tough, rather than competing with the competition, threaten the users with false claims and bully the customers back to your company. This doesn't promote customer loyalty, but it may push more pictures of Bill Gates dressed as a NAZI to be created (which I'm of course not encouraging anyone to do).
The problem here is that Linux is leaning toward staying with the GPL version 2 license which doesn't have this protection. While Ballmer's idea that Linux is using MS code is complete rubbish and I'm certain that after some time a court would prove this, it would be nicer to eliminate the whole matter and more importantly shut Ballmer up.
I'm not a fan of the anti-DRM phrase, even though I am completely against DRMs. Open source is about freedom and preventing someone from adding a DRM is limiting their freedom, but then again the DRM is limiting the user's freedom. It's a double edged sword.
But for Linux and the whole open source community, it would be a good idea to talk it over and compromise on GPL version 3 and apply all of the software including Linux to it. It will keep Linux competitive and prevent companies like Microsoft from throwing their weight to try to destroy it.
And as for Microsoft, their current behaviour is an all time low even for them. When the competition becomes tough, rather than competing with the competition, threaten the users with false claims and bully the customers back to your company. This doesn't promote customer loyalty, but it may push more pictures of Bill Gates dressed as a NAZI to be created (which I'm of course not encouraging anyone to do).
