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>The GPL has ultimately done more harm than good for open source. This claim seems to defy the simplest explanation given the historical success of linux, so I

>The GPL has ultimately done more harm than good for open source. This claim seems to defy the simplest explanation given the historical success of linux, so I think you need to be a bit more rigorous in substantiating your argument. I'll agree that strictly enforcing 'giving back' is an unnecessary imposition and cost for adopters when a) there are many similar substitutable goods b) open source has momentum: evidence exists that giving back can be positive and in the adopters' interest. However, neither of those were the case in the era when the GPL was born. The GPL should at least be given credit for helping bootstrap the present state of open source.

mkr-hn 15y ago
It gets credit. In CREDITS and most articles that describe Linux. Just look at the Wikipedia entry (an open and free project) for Linux: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux From paragraph 2: "The development of Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed, both commercially and non-commercially, by anyone under licenses such as the GNU General Public License." The italicized portion links to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open_source_software http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open_source_software. GNU gets its mention there. Also paragraph 2: "In 1983, Richard Stallman, longtime member of the hacker community at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, announced the GNU project, saying that he had become frustrated with the effects of the change in culture of the computer industry and its users.[8] Software development for the GNU operating system began in January 1984, and the Free Software Foundation (FSF) was founded in October 1985. An article outlining the project and its goals was published in March 1985 titled the GNU Manifesto. The manifesto also focused heavily on the philosophy of free software. He developed The Free Software Definition and the concept of "copyleft", designed to ensure software freedom for all." These kinds of attribution are infinitely better than a "GNU/" tacked thoughtlessly on to a generic term.

mkr-hn 15y ago

It gets credit. In CREDITS and most articles that describe Linux. Just look at the Wikipedia entry (an open and free project) for Linux: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux From paragraph 2: "The development of Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed, both commercially and non-commercially, by anyone under licenses such as the GNU General Public License." The italicized portion links to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open_source_software http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open_source_software. GNU gets its mention there. Also paragraph 2: "In 1983, Richard Stallman, longtime member of the hacker community at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, announced the GNU project, saying that he had become frustrated with the effects of the change in culture of the computer industry and its users.[8] Software development for the GNU operating system began in January 1984, and the Free Software Foundation (FSF) was founded in October 1985. An article outlining the project and its goals was published in March 1985 titled the GNU Manifesto. The manifesto also focused heavily on the philosophy of free software. He developed The Free Software Definition and the concept of "copyleft", designed to ensure software freedom for all." These kinds of attribution are infinitely better than a "GNU/" tacked thoughtlessly on to a generic term.