DGPL

[David Ayers]

Thank you for your thoughts.

Am Sonntag, den 08.03.2009, 17:29 -0400 schrieb "Andrés G. Aragoneses":
> So, similarly to the AGPL case, there's another special scenario in
> which proprietary ISVs can take advantage of GPL/AGPL software without
> being forced to open their software. It's another case of the need of
> having a more restrictive clause to the 0-freedom in order to avoid the
> expansion of non-free software: the non-linkable developer tools (by
> non-linkable I mean programs, as opposed libraries) such as IDEs, VCS,
> Installer Tools, Code Analyzers, etc.

My understanding of the GPL, which I believe to be shared by a large
portion of the free software community, is that the license a tool to
insure the /users/ freedoms by setting a frame of /minimal/ restrictions
needed to insure the legal and technical feasibility to foster Free
Software.

It was never the intent to /coerce/ anyone to using or writing free
software.  All it states is that /if/ you want to use our software,
these are the /minimal/ fundamental rules.

Unfortunately the GPL has often been portrayed as tool for coercion,
sometimes from within the "Open Source" community.  And I have the
(hopefully false) impression that this proposal roots in the idea of
extending this alleged /coercion/ to developer tools.

I hope that from this perspective it becomes clear why this proposal
does not display merit to many Free Software proponents.

Cheers,
David Ayers