pruning "dead" licenses

[Eric S. Raymond]

Bjorn Reese <breese at mail1.stofanet.dk>:
> While I understand the wish for reducing the number of licenses
> (both with regards to "pruning" and with regards to licenses that
> are trivially alike existing licenses), I believe that it is
> contrary to the very concept of open source, which promotes
> diversity and longevity.

Freedom (more options for users) and good quality of outcomes are the
end. Diversity is only a means to the end.  Elevating diversity as an
end in itself confuses means with ends, conflates tactics with goals.

To the extent that we can promote freedom and get better outcomes by
pruning licenses, I'd sacrifice "diversity" without a qualm.
-- 
		<a href="http://www.catb.org/~esr/">Eric S. Raymond</a>