where is the threat?
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| mbaehrlxer Jan 03, 2007 4:38 PM EDT |
i don't see how lack of copyright laws or enforcement can be a threat to free software. sure, there will be people abusing this and may be selling binary only versions of free software to people. but because their software can be copied too, they are not going to gain much from it. and the source for these versions is still available too. unrestricted copying of free software is no threat at all. the only interesting case is when someone creates something new that is based on free software without giving out the source. but again the problem will remain a local one because they are not going to be successful with that in a country where the copyright is being enforced. the real problem is that people will miss out on the opportunity that free software gives them. but that is a problem of education. not of laws. even if the license is properly enforced , people can not take advantage of it if no one educates them about it. but that is not limited to countries without copyright law. people using non-free software miss out on that opportunity anywhere in the world. where is the threat? the article makes it sound like as if the free software model was doomed without copyright enforcement. if that would be the case than BSD licensed software would have long vanished. but, as everyone can see, they are very alive. the free software model lives on cooperation. and if people want to cooperate they will, whether there is enforcement or not. the advantage of the GPL is that it helps to enforce that cooperation. however, lacking that advantage can only slow down the adoption of free software, but not threaten it. greetings, eMBee. |
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