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No, the GPL defines explicit restrictions about what the end user can and can't do with the software. In my book, that's less freedom. Now, my tenet is just as
by Locke1689 16y ago
No, the GPL defines explicit restrictions about what the end user can and can't do with the software. In my book, that's less freedom.
Now, my tenet is just as flimsy as your tenet -- can't you see that your definition of "freedom" is flexible between people and that your freedom may not be another person's freedom? Because degrees of freedom are a subjective and relative interpretation all we can say objectively is that both the GPL and the App Store's EULA have restrictions and they both attempt to preserve an ecosystem that they see to be beneficial.
- rwmj 16y agoThe GPL doesn't say anything at all about what the end user can do. In fact that's "rule 0": http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html The restrictions are on distributing the software which is quite different from use of the software.
- Locke1689 16y agoDistributing software is something you "do" with the software. If I meant restricting the use of the software I would have said restricting the use of the software.
- lambda 16y agoThe GPL doesn't restrict distributing software. Copyright does; without the GPL, you would not be allowed to copy the software at all, due to copyright laws that cover all creative works from the moment they are created, regardless of whether anyone opts in. The GPL grants you additional freedom to distribute the software, as long as you follow their rules. Now, it doesn't grant as much additional freedom as, say, the MIT license, but the only freedoms it fails to grant you are the freedom to take someone else's freedom away. You can do anything you want with the software, as long as you don't do something that limits someone else's freedom to do the same.