>This is a clear user freedom that is guaranteed by the GPL. Yes, and that freedom is being guaranteed to fewer and fewer end users of GPLed software because o

>This is a clear user freedom that is guaranteed by the GPL. Yes, and that freedom is being guaranteed to fewer and fewer end users of GPLed software because of those feelings you're dismissing. Linux is probably the success story for GPL, and even in that case Google has bundled it with proprietary software (Android now outnumbers all other operating system installs, IIRC). Yes people can make their own distributions, but they're for the most part irrelevant to 99% of users of Android devices. Probably 99.99% if you include people who never install Google proprietary apps (the Play Store; Google Maps; etc.) on their devices. The point of GPL wasn't to serve the 1%, but to expand software freedoms to everyone. To start a revolution in software, and to supplant closed source and restrictive licenses. Look around, though; most people are ignoring what freedoms they are offered and basking in proprietary software options. Open source is beautiful when it works. But freedom to redistribute something without value is about as relevant as debating whether a tree falling alone in a forest makes a noise.