> copyright is the legal mechanism by which that is done. That doesn't mean there can't be other legal mechanisms that would also accomplish software freedom.

> copyright is the legal mechanism by which that is done. That doesn't mean there can't be other legal mechanisms that would also accomplish software freedom. Closed-source software should just be illegal. Then you don't need copyright to ensure freedom. With copyright gone, you are now guaranteed free to reuse any code. The law should not prohibit copying, it should only require attribution (i.e., prohibit plagiarism).