Usual Debian and OSS weirdness..
Reading this week’s DWN was fun and for I’m lazy, I just quote the fun part:
“GPL Programs belong in non-free? Adrian Bunk noted that all programs licensed under the GNU GPL have to go into non-free, since the GPL license itself must not be modified.”
Can Adrian be serious? How many beer would one have to drink? I have to admit, I had to read the post a couple of times before it clicked. Actually, it didn’t really click. No enlightenment.
(Before I go any further, please note that Adrian didn’t request anything, he just pointed at a possible problem with the DFSG. I’m well aware of that.)
While this might be a interesting topic to hang ones mind on (in certain conditions caused by consuming various substances), at least from a philosophical point of view, after performing the most basic reality check the bleak truth brakes free (hopefully!): This is ridiculous, big time, IMO. I mean I know know a bunch of hardline FOSS fellows who wouldn’t have that much applications left for they simply refuse to use non-free.
Can more freedom actually mean that you pull the ropes around your wrists a little tighter yourself?
If you ask me, such things have nothing to do with Open Source, Free Software Guidelines, “Free as in free speech” or anything else that claims to be about freedom in any other way. This is fundamentalism.
This thread on debianforum.de (german) brings up related topics. It started with someone pointing to Torvalds’ statement that OSS is alright as long as it’s fun. And it went from there.. GNU, Stallman, Jesus, scientists in fascist germany and so on. While it’s an interesting read and there are valid points on both sides, I’m a little worried about the course such non-existential discussions, that started with babbling about the fun of a notorious nonpolitical being, seem to take sometimes.