Sick Twist wrote:
>> From: michael hast <evylrobot19@cox.net>
>> Reply-To: slug@nks.net
>> To: slug@nks.net
>> Subject: [SLUG] Linus interview
>> Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 17:58:23 -0600
>>
>> You guys see this?
>>
>> http://www.forbes.com/technology/2006/03/09/torvalds-linux-licensing-cz_dl_0309torvalds1.html
>>
>>
>> Admittedly, he doesn't come across the least bit crazy in this one,
>> but rather very well balanced. There is the bit about the sharks, but
>> everyone should have a sense of humor afterall.
>
>
> There are holes in his argument. To continue the mad scientist analogy,
> what good would the scientist's altered code be if the alterations
> depended on the presence of a secret hardware key in order to run?
> Outside of the mechanical shark, that code would be pretty useless to
> the user. Such circumstances are what the FSF aims to avoid and the
> revisions that will be in GPL 3 are designed to protect the user's
> freedom in such a case (as well as others).
>
> It also bothers me a bit that although Linus has problems with the first
> draft of GPL 3, he is apathetic towards the work that remains in
> crafting it. While the kernel may be uneffected by the next version of
> GPL, I'm pretty sure that some modules are licensed "GPL 2 or later" and
> thus could be affected by GPL 3. Furthermore, there are most likely many
> tools Linus depends on that will be licensed under GPL 3 so he will have
> to deal with the new changes one way or another. Now is the best time to
> raise criticisms before GPL 3 is finalized.
>
Not really. It's not his kernel; it doesn't belong to him. He's a
cat-herder for hundreds of kernel developers. If Debian, in one of their
kooky moments of pique, decides that GPL3 is against their constitution,
so they can't ship critical parts of the kernel, the effect on Linus is
exactly zero. He couldn't care less. If everyone quit kernel development
and went home, he'd just move on to something else.
Linus isn't apathetic. He simply views this as not his issue to deal
with. He's perfectly willing to let other people hash it out. In the
end, he'll make as informed a decision as he can, which may mean the
rejection of GPLv3 for the majority of the kernel.
This issue is a lot like motorcycle helmet laws. On one hand are the
people who have an agenda to protect motorcycle riders, society, or
whatever they think they're protecting. They want everyone forced to
wear helmets. That's the FSF/RMS camp. On the other hand are people who
say, "If people want to ride motorcycles without helmets, let them. It's
not my problem and not my issue." That's the Linus camp.
Linus just wants code sharing out of the license. The more other cruft
that gets added in, the less he likes it. RMS is and always has been on
a political crusade, and he's welcome to it. Linus isn't, and he's
welcome to that.
I don't think Linus much cares for being everyone's icon, and crusading
for things. He's a hacker, and that's all he really wants to be. And so
far, that tack seems to have worked well for kernel development.
-- Paul M. Foster ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This list is provided as an unmoderated internet service by Networked Knowledge Systems (NKS). Views and opinions expressed in messages posted are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NKS or any of its employees.
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