[Fsfe-uk] Grauniad: Fair and share (GPL etc.)

[Paul Mobbs]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,3605,1353190,00.html

Fair and share

Don't fall into the trap of confusing free with freedom when using Linux's 
open source code, says Mary Branscombe

The Guardian, Thursday November 18, 2004


Do you use open source software? You probably do. If you have a GPS navigator, 
a wireless router or an NAS network storage device, they may well be based on 
an embedded version of Linux. This is available free, complete with source 
code, which is attractive for developers who don't want to start from 
scratch. But if you are not sure what the Free Software Foundation's General 
Public Licence (GPL), which governs Linux source code, means by "free", you 
could end up in court or, like TomTom Software, making a significant donation 
as an apology.

<SNIP>


-- 

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"We are not for names, nor men, nor titles of Government, nor are we for
this party nor against the other but we are for justice and mercy and
truth and peace and true freedom, that these may be exalted in our
nation, and that goodness, righteousness, meekness, temperance, peace
and unity with God, and with one another, that these things may abound."
(Edward Burroughs, 1659 - from 'Quaker Faith and Practice')


Paul Mobbs, Mobbs' Environmental Investigations,
3 Grosvenor Road, Banbury OX16 5HN, England
tel./fax (+44/0)1295 261864

email - address@hidden
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