[ILUG] just wondering re gpl

[Caolan McNamara]

On 30-Apr-99 Guest, Ken wrote:
>Does anybody know of instances where _documentation_
>(on it's own) has been made available under the GPL?

I know that rms made a bit of a stink when (being
his usual diplomatic self) he announced that all
documentation should be free as well as the source.
Pissing off oreilly's to no end i must add. Seeing
as a lot of authors make their source free and try and
pick up some money from the documentation, its hard
to know what the correct route should be. I suspect
that the best way to make money from a gpled thingy
is to offer something like the mysql people do. A
sort of pay more get more support thing, pay a lot
and we'll add your requested features. And after that
try to make a small killing on associated documentation, 
though obviously the software will have to come with
enougn free documentation to be useful. Theres obviously
a fine line to be trod between free everything and getting
enough cash in to fund a large project.

The gcc boys get sponsership from hardware manufacturers to
port gcc to new hardware, which works out cheaper for them
than writing their own, so thats one win win situation.

Nonetheless, for the original q, all of the docs on the gnu
website are under gpl as far as i know. I have come across 
documentation that lists that it is gpled on may occasions,
but i couldn't point to one in particular. Also i remember
that the Hacker Crackdown by Bruce Sterling is available for
free download from the Gutenberg Press, but that was under 
some special agreement.

C.


Real Life: Caolan McNamara           *  Doing: MSc in HCI
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