(L)GPL remarks and FreeGIS licensing

[Niall Douglas]

On 13 Aug 2003 at 11:48, Rui Miguel Seabra wrote:

> I'm sure a lot of people don't care about the software license of the
> software they use because they don't give a rat's ass to copyright
> (which is an artificial government granted monopoly right), that's why
> you have a "rampaging piracy". It's not that in some countries 90% (or
> more) of the people are evil and rich black bearded pirates with
> patch-eyes that think of nothing else than not giving more money to
> the starving poor developers that must eat.

Actually, I think it's self-evident to anyone half intelligent that 
technology has made existing IP law for anything wholly representable 
inside a computer obsolete.

That means all those file-sharers are not the ones robbing the 
authors of their cash. It is in fact the fault of the governments for 
not establishing adequate regulation to ensure the survival of their 
industry.

> It's only that it just isn't natural to not share.

I'm afraid that's bunk. Those who hoard are those who survive and 
those willing to cut down their neighbour to steal their food also 
have an advantage in simple situations. The entire current western 
europe derived world empire is based on invading other countries, 
subjecting them forcibly to our rule and getting them to work for our 
benefit. Studies show that that exploitation has increased year-on-
year for the last two hundred years - why else has food production & 
available capital exceeded world population growth worldwide and yet 
with each year a greater percentage of humankind slips in poverty and 
hunger?

However, we /can/ learn to behave differently and slowly, I think we 
are. But you can't claim it's natural to share - it isn't outside 
your family unit.

Cheers,
Niall