License wars (was Re: [Caml-list] ANN: ChartPak - a data visualization library for the web)

[Matt Gushee <mgushee@havenrock.com>]

On Mon, Jan 20, 2003 at 02:55:25PM +0100, Fabrice Le Fessant wrote:
> 
> >  THANK YOU FOR RELEASING CHARTPAK WITH THE BSD LICENSE!
> >  
> >  It makes it possible to develop commercial programs with ChartPak and
> >  Ocaml.

Ahem. The correct term for that is "proprietary." What are Red Hat and
SuSE Linux if not commercial?

That was part of my reason for choosing BSD, but not all (see below).

> >  I hope that more Ocaml-developers realize that GPL and to some
> >  extent LGPL makes it difficult to use their code in commercial
> >  applications where the developers can make a living out of selling the
> >  software.

Yes, if you have a product-centered business model.

> It's always strange to hear someone asking other people to release
> their sources completely free, and in the same sentence, explaining
> that this should be done so that other developers don't have to
> release their own sources...

:-)

But quite apart from wanting to keep open (for myself) the option of
using my code in a proprietary app, there is another very important
reason I like the BSD license:

I believe very strongly in informed consent in all areas of life. That
means, for example, that when someone accepts a software license, they
should know what they just agreed to. And unfortunately, most software
licenses never get read; they're just too damn long and complex. If
you're an open source developer, you have probably read the GPL, but I'd
wager most end users haven't. And you have undoubtedly also used
Microsoft products. Have you ever read their EULA in its entirety? I bet
you haven't.

The BSD license is one of a handful of open source licenses that is
clear and concise enough that ordinary people (who are neither lawyers
nor geeks) *might* read and understand it. I'm not saying they will, but
I think there is a reasonable chance that, when they see that the entire
license is displayed in one screen of their browser, they will actually
read it.

-- 
Matt Gushee                 When a nation follows the Way,
Englewood, Colorado, USA    Horses bear manure through
mgushee@havenrock.com           its fields;
http://www.havenrock.com/   When a nation ignores the Way,
                            Horses bear soldiers through
                                its streets.
                                
                            --Lao Tzu (Peter Merel, trans.)

-- 
Matt Gushee                 When a nation follows the Way,
Englewood, Colorado, USA    Horses bear manure through
mgushee@havenrock.com           its fields;
http://www.havenrock.com/   When a nation ignores the Way,
                            Horses bear soldiers through
                                its streets.
                                
                            --Lao Tzu (Peter Merel, trans.)
-------------------
To unsubscribe, mail caml-list-request@inria.fr Archives: http://caml.inria.fr
Bug reports: http://caml.inria.fr/bin/caml-bugs FAQ: http://caml.inria.fr/FAQ/
Beginner's list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocaml_beginners