[ILUG] Re: court cases involving the gpl...

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Richard Poynder (rich_p at dial.pipex.com):

> Sadly, it is hard to deal with a complex issue in so few words: one of
> the main drawbacks of journalism I'm afraid. Add to that that the
> article was also reduced in length internally by the FT editors (I
> work as a freelancer) -- but you will appreciate that there is a huge
> pressure on space in a national newspaper, and so this often has to
> happen.

Mr Poynder, you have my sympathies on this matter.  (I'm also on the
ILUG mailing list, although I'm a Yank.)

I would recommend to your attention a recent article by attorney
Lawrence Rosen in _Linux Journal_, newly Web-accessible at
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=5670 .  Mr Rosen, who is
executive director of the Open Source Initiative and its general
counsel, spends some time there dispelling myths about the General
Public Licence -- including some that your piece as printed
will unfortunately tend to perpetuate.

Mr Rosen also points out that the spectre of "licence contamination", to
the extent that it's real at all, applies equally to code received under
proprietary licences.

Thank you nonetheless, for your efforts to fairly cover a difficult and
confused topic.  I'm aware from speaking with my friend Mikael Pawlo
(whom you consulted) that you did attempt to cover the matter
thoughtfully.

-- 
Cheers,
Rick Moen                      "vi is my shepherd; I shall not font."
rick at linuxmafia.com                               -- Psalm 0.1 beta