Advanced

So what's new (or, ahem, GNU) ?

Story: The Real Meaning of GNU GPLv3Total Replies: 1
Author Content
dinotrac

Jul 04, 2007
6:44 PM EDT 		Hey, RMS has always had a practical streak, something I -- and, let's be honest, lots of others -- tend to forget sometimes. After all, FSF and all that follows grew out of his desire to get a printer working properly.

For all the image of RMS as ideological purist and firebrand, he's been pretty effective at making the necessary compromises and doing everything he could do avoid the unnecessary ones. That's why we have the LGPL. For that matter, the GPL itself is a sort of grand compromise. RMS would prefer a world of no licenses whatsoever, where software would truly be free. But that ain't the world we live in and GPL cleverly uses the law as it is to advance the world as he would like it to be.

Perhaps the long gestation of V3 reflects RMS's understanding that GPLV2 accomplished most of the easy work, that going further also meant getting closer to the limits of what can be done.
dcparris

Jul 05, 2007
1:45 AM EDT 		> After all, FSF and all that follows grew out of his desire to get a printer working properly.

Actually, that point seems to get lost an awful lot - in many discussions.

Post a reply to this thread:

A free account is needed to post. Write your comment here first: your text is kept in this browser while you sign up or log in, and is waiting for you when you come back.

Your message:
|||||
10
Markdown: **bold**, *italic*, [text](https://link), - lists, > quotes, $x^2$ for math. Formatting help

Sign up and post (it is free)  or  Log in and post