UnitedLinux and "open source"

[Sam Barnett-Cormack]

> From: David Johnson [mailto:david at usermode.org]
> Sent: 07 June 2002 03:21
>
> On Thursday 06 June 2002 03:14 pm, Andy Tai wrote:
> > Hmmm...
> > Ransom Love loves to hold Linux binaries for ransom.
> > Whether that follows the OSD or not, the community
> > should actively oppose Ransom Love, because holding
> > binaries for ransom is contrary to the spirit of open
> > source.  Hopefully the community leaders like Mr.
> > Perens and the OSI can publicly issue statements
> > opposing Ransom's plan.
>
> Let's see, Gentoo Linux doesn't offer binaries but no one is
> bitching about
> them. Rock Linux doesn't offer binaries but no one is bitching
> about them.
> Hell, half the stuff on SourceForge doesn't have a binary. Is it just
> something about the way Ransom Love combs his hair that makes
> people want to
> redefine the GPL every time he manages to follow it? Does the GPL
> really say
> that you have to treat people who publicly state they don't like the GPL
> differently from those that do?

It's not the fact that they aren't freely distributing binaries themselves,
it's that there seems to be an implication that they are restricting other
people from distributing them, both a) those that they bought (presumably)
from UnitedLinux, and b) those they compiled themselves without branding.

--
Sam Barnett-Cormack
Software Developer
UK Mirror Service (http://www.mirror.ac.uk/)

--
license-discuss archive is at http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3