For Approval: Open Source Software Alliance License

[Sean Chittenden]

>  > I think if I were to remove the following from the clause, "(ex:
>  > the GNU Public License, hereafter known as the GPL)," the
>  > discussion wouldn't have been nearly as involved.  *sigh*
> 
> On the contrary, the words in parentheses only clarify the previous
> words. Yes, you have been very careful in drafting the license to be
> OSD compliant, but your craftiness makes me think of suggesting an
> amendment to the OSD.
> 
> Few days back, we had a discussion on use of non-free interfaces to
> free software - and the particular example used was use of CORBA
> interface to a GPL'ed application. My understanding of the consensus
> on this list is that it is permissible, because writing an interface
> to a GPL'ed program does not amount to creation of a derivative
> work.
> 
> On the other hand, the proposed OSSA license does not permit this,
> and is therefore, discriminatory.
> 
> The infringing portion is:-
> 
> 'must not be linked to software that is released with a license'
>              ^^^^^^

If I'm a widget maker, I can't use a piece of code that's only
available under the terms of the GPL.  How else can I ensure that
software is GPL free or that there is an alternative software
available?  <troll>I just assume push software developers away from
depending on any GPL software in any way, shape, or form and retire
the license and its software as the biggest evolutionary mistake in
software's history.</troll>

> If this clears the OSD, it is OSD which should be changed. The
> entire spirit behind the OSS movement is to prevent fragmentation of
> s/w, and s/w which will not interact with each other.
> 
> OSSAL explicitly enables this.

No, the OSSAL is a counter reactionary license to the GPL.  The GPL
created the need for the OSSAL because it fragmented the open source
software market by alienating widget makers from depending on what
should be freely available software that can be downloaded on the
local mirror/CVSup server.

-sc

-- 
Sean Chittenden
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