Re: [linux-audio-dev] New form of GPL licence that protects Linux from proprietary world [was: New powermacs?]

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Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] New form of GPL licence that protects Linux from proprietary world [was: New powermacs?]
From: Marc Lavallée (odradek_AT_videotron.ca)
Date: Mon Jun 23 2003 - 08:34:26 EEST


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Le 22 Juin 2003 23:25, Ivica Bukvic a écrit :

> I never implied occlusion of the source code nor did I ever suggest
> that I've worked out all the quirks out of the whole system. It is/was
> a mere proposal to instigate a discussion at this point, nothing more.

So, after all this discussion, do you agree that your proposal would not
help free software? That the GNU/Linux platform is not a end in itself?

> First you make an implied conclusion that had no grounds, now you
> extrapolate upon that. You'd be a wonderful politician.

Thank you. That's exactly what I'm doing here. Politics. Not business to
protect free platforms against non-free platforms by forging a non-free
software license.

> This has nothing to do with command line tools. This has to do with the
> _attitude_ you give to outsiders when you talk about oss/linux
> issues...

I don't get it. What _attitude_? I have no problem hurting the fragile
feelings of proprietary software users. I'm not trying to sell them
anything, except the idea that they should use free software whenever
possible. If I'm not successful, then other free software users might be.
But I promess I'll study the "Linux advocacy howto".

> Your whole argument stems from your own implication and hence it's not
> worth discussing.

We can talk about your software and your experience if you prefer.
I like your work.

> > I don't care about Linux.
>
> So what in the world are you doing on a _linux_ audio dev list?

I'm a GNU/Linux user, but I don't care about Linux, I care about using
free software. I might decide to use another free platform or I might be
forced to work on a proprietary platform for a couple of minutes per
week. In any case, I want to use as much free software possible, not
exclusively on top of GNU/Linux.

> > The free software movement is not purist
>
> Perhaps in its implementation, but in theory... (My advice: do not tell
> this to Richard Stallman)

The GPL is very well done, and since Stallman is defending a strong idea,
he looks like a religious leader, but he's quite pragmatic. He's also
human, and gets angry sometimes. Oh well. The free software movement is
not purist in the sense that it's trying to bring free software to this
world, not by forcing people to use free software, but by promoting and
protect the use of free software.

> And who will fund such a development?

Those who believe in free software like RedHat, IBM, Suse, some
universities and governments...

> How do you think the Linux kernel is being developed so fast?

By enthusiatic developers with enough money to survive.

> If we wait for us geeks to come up with such a machine, at this pace
> I'll be long dead before that happens, so meanwhile I am trying to
> cook-up the second best thing that might just happen within my lifetime.

10 years ago, I was eager to buy a Mac with their promised Unix like
operating system built on top of a Mach micro-kernel. Apple finally
delivered something good, 6 years after I switched to GNU/Linux. Now it's
too late because the GNU/Linux platform is good enough and a much better
choice because it is (mostly) free, except for some graphic cards drivers
(nVidia, ATI and Matrox are very bad these days).

> The reason for this discussion is because I am trying to come up with a
> way to strengthen the case for Linux in academic audio studios.

I hope you'll succeed. I quit my job in a university because as a
super-technician I was forced to help art students use proprietary
software. One teacher even laugh at me because my free alternatives were
not as shiny as his $10000 workstation filled with expensive proprietary
software. Fancy computers and obedient students are only toys for
teachers like him.

> As it stands right now, for a good number of musicians/studios out there
> the Linux has less and less of advantages over its competitors

Musicians rarely care about their liberty. You should not expect the music
industry, even your academic circle, to strongly embrace the free
software movement. You might be forced to use proprietary tools, so in
this case you better want free software to run on any computer.

- --
Marc
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