4 ms·

This seems similar to Tom Preston-Werner's essay on the same subject, with the exception that this article fails to mention any moral obligation to open source

by martey 14y ago

This seems similar to Tom Preston-Werner's essay on the same subject, with the exception that this article fails to mention any moral obligation to open source general purpose code: "It's almost impossible to do anything these days without directly or indirectly executing huge amounts of open source code. If you use the internet, you're using open source. That code represents millions of man-hours of time that has been spent and then given away so that everyone may benefit. We all enjoy the benefits of open source software, and I believe we are all morally obligated to give back to that community. If software is an ocean, then open source is the rising tide that raises all ships." http://tom.preston-werner.com/2011/11/22/open-source-everything.html http://tom.preston-werner.com/2011/11/22/open-source-everyth...

jlarocco 14y ago
I don't see where the moral obligation comes in. It's great if somebody wants to give out their source code, but to turn around and say it creates a moral obligation towards them is disingenuous. It's a little nonsensical, even. If they expect something in return for the code then they should ask for it up front.
- Karunamon 14y ago
  Without making judgement as to how valid that "obligation" is, this is pretty much the stance of RMS. If you release a program of some sort and don't release the source code to give everyone various freedoms, you are perpetrating a great wrong.
  - tspiteri 14y ago
    Without making judgement as to how valid that "obligation" is, this is pretty much the stance of RMS. No, it's not the stance of RMS that if you use open source code than you are obliged to produce open source. In fact, he considers it essential to software freedom that someone should be able to obtain a free software program, modify it, use the modification, and keep the modified program to themselves. If you release a program of some sort and don't release the source code to give everyone various freedoms, you are perpetrating a great wrong. This is the stance of RMS.
    - Karunamon 14y ago
      Ah, my bad. Misunderstood the parent comment.
- nitrogen 14y ago
  It's a moral obligation under the social norm of reciprocity. If they wanted it to be a legal obligation, they would ask for it up front (which the GPL does). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_of_reciprocity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_of_reciprocity

by martey 14y ago

jlarocco 14y ago

I don't see where the moral obligation comes in. It's great if somebody wants to give out their source code, but to turn around and say it creates a moral obligation towards them is disingenuous. It's a little nonsensical, even. If they expect something in return for the code then they should ask for it up front.

Karunamon 14y ago
Without making judgement as to how valid that "obligation" is, this is pretty much the stance of RMS. If you release a program of some sort and don't release the source code to give everyone various freedoms, you are perpetrating a great wrong.
- tspiteri 14y ago
  Without making judgement as to how valid that "obligation" is, this is pretty much the stance of RMS. No, it's not the stance of RMS that if you use open source code than you are obliged to produce open source. In fact, he considers it essential to software freedom that someone should be able to obtain a free software program, modify it, use the modification, and keep the modified program to themselves. If you release a program of some sort and don't release the source code to give everyone various freedoms, you are perpetrating a great wrong. This is the stance of RMS.
  - Karunamon 14y ago
    Ah, my bad. Misunderstood the parent comment.
nitrogen 14y ago
It's a moral obligation under the social norm of reciprocity. If they wanted it to be a legal obligation, they would ask for it up front (which the GPL does). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_of_reciprocity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_of_reciprocity