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What is the point in releasing your code as GPL anyway? If you've solved some interesting problem, then people can read your code to figure it out and then reim
by mikevm 5y ago
What is the point in releasing your code as GPL anyway? If you've solved some interesting problem, then people can read your code to figure it out and then reimplement it, and no one will ever find out.
- pavlov 5y agoIf the code base is large and popular enough, like the Linux kernel or Emacs or FFMPEG, then such “dirty-room reverse engineering” doesn’t really help you much — your product still wouldn’t be compatible without conspicuous amounts of GPL code.
- x4e 5y agoMany companies do not want to take that risk and will ensure they comply by the license. And anyway, what does it matter if someone steals your code? The point of the GPL is not to prevent people stealing your code but to hope that it at least provides some value to others through good faith forks respecting their freedoms.