Why are Linux-Win flames starting here? Hello SOS :-)

  • Thread starter Thread starter H-Man
  • Start date Start date
H

H-Man

Bernd Schmitt said:
Because more and more people discover Linux (knoppix is the
ice-breaker). Once they stick with it, many try to convince others not
to stay in the dependency of win.

Hey, SOS, I don't think you remember our quarrel about what is freeware
(Word-templates ...) as I was new to ACF? At that time I did not know
what "free software" really means (GPL). Now I know that free software
is my real choice of freeware.
Click to expand...
As you probably know, GPL means free as in freedom, not free as in no
charge. Therefore, unless you are a programmer, and really like tinkering
with the source codes, you probably don't give a hoot about GPL. Although
most GPL'ed programs are free of charge, the GPL license does not guarantee
this.
The "freedom" part comes in when you need your software to do something it
does not currently do, you are then free to change the sources and recompile
to make the program what you want.
HK
 
Because more and more people discover Linux (knoppix is the
ice-breaker). Once they stick with it, many try to convince others not
to stay in the dependency of win.

Hey, SOS, I don't think you remember our quarrel about what is freeware
(Word-templates ...) as I was new to ACF? At that time I did not know
what "free software" really means (GPL). Now I know that free software
is my real choice of freeware.
 
H-Man said:
As you probably know, GPL means free as in freedom, not free as in no
charge.
Click to expand...
Yes, free as in free speech not as in free beer :-)
Therefore, unless you are a programmer, and really like tinkering
with the source codes, you probably don't give a hoot about GPL.
Click to expand...
I disagree slightly.
GPL insures, that a software stays free and open source (at least the
version which was licenced under gpl). GPL software is common property.

To me as a physicist this is the way knowledge has to be: free.

Ciao,
Bernd
 
Bernd Schmitt said:
Yes, free as in free speech not as in free beer :-)

I disagree slightly.
GPL insures, that a software stays free and open source (at least the
version which was licenced under gpl). GPL software is common property.

To me as a physicist this is the way knowledge has to be: free.
Click to expand...
** Exerpt fro the GPL Preamble**
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html

When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not price. Our
General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you have the freedom
to distribute copies of free software (and charge for this service if you
wish), that you receive source code or can get it if you want it, that you
can change the software or use pieces of it in new free programs; and that
you know you can do these things.
** **
So I guess you are right, the free software can be had for a fee.
ie; an author can make his software available for a fee, the source code
must be included as per GPL. If the recipient decides to make the software
available to anyone else, he can give it away, or sell it, so long as he
makes the source code to the program available to the end user. Under the
GPL, the source codes can be included on some media, distributed with the
binary, it need not be downloadable, or made public to be covered by GPL. At
least this is my understanding from the GPL web page.

I completely agree with you that knowledge should be free. But software
authors should also have the freedom to make a living, or at least be
reimbursed for their efforts, if they choose.
HK
 
Because more and more people discover Linux (knoppix is the
ice-breaker). Once they stick with it, many try to convince others
not
to stay in the dependency of win.

Hey, SOS, I don't think you remember our quarrel about what is
freeware
(Word-templates ...) as I was new to ACF? At that time I did not
know
what "free software" really means (GPL). Now I know that free
software
is my real choice of freeware.
Click to expand...

I think it's a tad more to it than this. It seems like a lot of the
Linux-bashers
also are running websites that for a lack of a better word, "profit" off Windows
freeware and shareware downloads and/or the "reviews" of said software.

They wouldn't for the most part be able to do this with Linux up/downloads
basically
because of linux software sites like Sourceforge and Freshmeat. Have you noticed
that
CNet/Ziff-Davis have shut down their Linux software sections? Ever wonder why?
 
Chris Lee <[email protected]> wrote:
Click to expand...
I think it's a tad more to it than this. It seems like a lot of the
Linux-bashers
also are running websites that for a lack of a better word, "profit" off Windows
freeware and shareware downloads and/or the "reviews" of said software.
Click to expand...
They wouldn't for the most part be able to do this with Linux up/downloads
basically
because of linux software sites like Sourceforge and Freshmeat. Have you noticed
that
CNet/Ziff-Davis have shut down their Linux software sections? Ever wonder why?
Click to expand...

You just blow into town cowboy? Who's out for profit here in ACF?

There are no real bashers here, until recently anyway.

Get into the groove before making statements like your opening
paragraph <G>. It's just the right thing to do.
 
I have paid much more money for free Software than ever in my
windows-times... because I want those coders to continue ...

Bernd
 
You just blow into town cowboy? Who's out for profit here in ACF?
Click to expand...

Take a look at the banner ads on some of the download/review sites
for Windows software epecially the CNet/Ziff-Davis sites in particular and
ask that question again.
 
Take a look at the banner ads on some of the download/review sites
for Windows software epecially the CNet/Ziff-Davis sites in particular and
ask that question again.
Click to expand...

This is a newsgroup. Those are independant software sites. There is no
connection between the two.

Are you suggesting these sites owe you something? (your own state of
mind from another post)

You can always start your own bannerless and for free site. Many here
(in ACF) have done this.
 
Bernd Schmitt said:
I have paid much more money for free Software than ever in my
windows-times... because I want those coders to continue ...
Click to expand...
Me too, and I say good for you. Freedom is power.
HK
 
As you probably know, GPL means free as in freedom, not free as in no
charge. Therefore, unless you are a programmer, and really like
tinkering with the source codes, you probably don't give a hoot about
GPL.
Click to expand...

Not so, at least not for me. I am in the process of converting to as
much GPL'ed (or variations thereof) software as it's possible for me to
do under Windows. (Obviously, I haven't gotten as far as my newsreader
yet! I still have a ways to go.) I'm anything but a programmer, but I
prefer the open-source model to closed-source. In principle, anyway, I
think it will tend to lead to better software in the long run, and a
healthier overall environment for computer users and programmers alike.
Not that I'd suggest programmers should be forced to develop under a
model they don't like (and I have seen suggestions to that effect from
some of the more zealous of Linux advocates), but I do think it's
important to support those who open their code by using their software
and making contributions* where appropriate.

*financial, in my case, since any code I could write would be of, um, not
much value. :-)


--
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Michael M. ~~ (e-mail address removed) ~~ New York City, NY USA |
| "No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely |
| under conditions of absolute reality;..." --S. Jackson |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
This is a newsgroup. Those are independant software sites. There is
no
connection between the two.

Are you suggesting these sites owe you something? (your own state of
mind from another post)
Click to expand...

No. I'm saying that some of these sites are taking freeware
and maybe stuff that isn't exactly freeware and repacking it
so they can make a fast buck of it.

A perfect example of that is this:

http://www.bootdisk.com/usb.htm download usbdrive.zip
*renamed drivers which are also available from manufacturers web sites

The drivers in the zip archive are basically the panasonic and iomega msdos
usb drivers for things like usb flashcard readers and the like.

It looks someone just changed the names of the *.sys files and
now is charging people $4.00 to download the zip archive they were
tossed into.


Now besides the questionable legality of doing something like this,
you can bet Panasonic and the companies who created the drives won't
be exactly thrilled by this when they find out about this kind of thing.
 
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