[Fsfe-ie] 1-page letter, faxes at the ready (IFSO, irish org)
Niall Douglas
s_fsfeurope2 at nedprod.com
Fri Sep 26 06:09:09 CEST 2003
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On 26 Sep 2003 at 3:19, David Golden wrote:
I'll take this off list and reply to you tomorrow. I didn't actually
mean to make my views so public on this particular list but anyone
interested can see plenty more on the fsfeurope discussion list
archives.
Cheers,
Niall
> On Thu 25 Sep 2003 21:44, Niall Douglas wrote:
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> > What's wrong with using this list? It was only created very
> > recently, so we really can choose whatever direction we like for it.
> > So long as it's generally about free software with an irish
> > perspective, you're fine.
> >
>
> Well, my first post to this list and it may seem a bit harsh :-( :
>
> I've been lurking for some time, as this list is a place where really
> strong
> anti-software-patent action has been happening. Plus I'm Irish and
> interested in the FSF, though I'm not 100% in agreement with the FSF,
> myself (they're far too moderate and reasonable altogether... ).
>
> However, I figured I'd better get this out in the open right at the
> start:
>
> You posted (on tuesday) some comments about the GPL being non-free...
>
> That seems an odd (read: absurd) stance for an FSF list, and one
> direction that really would seem a tad inappropriate for the list to
> take while it is under the "FSF" banner. You may have been joking or
> sarcastic, of course, and I'm not suggesting it's a _discussion_
> that's inappropriate for the list (though it's been done to death over
> the years and gets kinda boring), but as a _direction_ I'd like to
> state my not-so-humble opinion right now that it's pretty damn silly.
>
>
> Of course, academically, the GPL isn't totally "free" like "I release
> this into the public domain" would be. Perhaps that's all you meant,
> but I don't really know.
>
> Of course, what would be even freer would be if copyright didn't exist
> at all.
>
> The GPL is designed to try to preserve some of the freedom that
> existed before software ("applied discrete mathematics") became
> copyrightable late last century. It's doing a damn good job in the
> anti-free environment that the current crop of infofascists (WIPO
> etc.) have produced. While the GPL would be unenforceable in the
> absence of software copyright and patent law, it would also be
> unnecessary, as people have pointed out ad nauseum.
>
> Copyleft only acts "un-free" to those who would, secretly or
> otherwise, wish to "own" information under copyright law themselves
> and thus restrict the freedom of others. I don't give a shit if some
> people can't sit on their arses and "sell" infinitely-replicable
> information patterns of software as an artificially-scarce "product"
> once the GPL takes over. I could still make a packet on computers,
> doing ACTUAL WORK of installation, configuration, operational support,
> "bespoke" new development and so on, even in the complete absence of
> software copyrights (and patents).
>
> While the current furore has temporarily united in opposition to
> patents many proprietary and free software people, I would not be in
> favour of pandering to proprietary interests on an FSF list - I'm not
> one of those wishy-washy "peaceful coexistence with proprietary
> software" open-source types. That's like "peaceful coexistence" with
> an aggressive mucormycosis.
>
> By now you may be saying "If I Ever Meet You I Will Kick Your Ass",
> but I really don't care - I'm a just bit paranoid about fifth
> columnists, a (Microsoft-favorite) strategy that has been used to try
> to destroy computing things before (with varying degrees of success -
> e.g. even the Amiga still has a kind of unholy walking-death, though I
> prefer to stay away from the shambling horror and try to remember it
> as it once was...)
>
> [quavery schlock horror voice] I know people have gone to Microsoft
> Research,
> and come back... different... [/quavery schlock horror voice] ... like
> invasion of the bodysnatchers different, or "I read Dianetics and
> know that Scientology can help me" different...
>
> David Golden.
>
>
>
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> Fsfe-ie at fsfeurope.org
> https://mail.fsfeurope.org/mailman/listinfo/fsfe-ie
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