10 ms·

Tyranny is a strong word for "please only use this free code in the ways that I have outlined".

• eridius 12y ago
  It's Tyranny because the express goal of the GPL is to force all software to be free and open source. It's one thing to just say "my library has restrictions, please obey them", but the GPL is designed to try to infect as much of the software world as it possibly can, forcing via legal measures other software to catch its copyleft virus.
  • davexunit 12y ago
    >the express goal of the GPL is to force all software to be free The GPL does not force software to be free. It is not viral. Please stop using such dishonest language. The GPL will only be a part of software project if you choose to use it. It doesn't invite itself in.
  • stcredzero 12y ago
    Because using coercion in the interest of "freedom" always works out so well.
    • zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC 12y ago
      What is your definition of "coercion" that you are using here?
      • stcredzero 12y ago
        The same sense that the FSF uses coercion when they describe participation in closed-source.
  • zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC 12y ago
    Given the analogy you are using, do I understand it correctly that software can "catch" GPL (as in being required to be released under the GPL, I suppose?) without a deliberate decision of its developers to include GPL licensed code into their codebase? Could you explain how that works? Also, would you use the same language to describe typical proprietary licenses? After all, most of those would also prevent me from publishing any codebase incorporating any code I obtained under such a license as free software--or in your terminology, the codebase would be "infected" by the proprietary license which forces my software to also "catch a proprietary license"? I'm not quite sure I understand your analogy, though ...
• fleitz 12y ago
  Where free in this case means free as in beer, not free to use as you please.