Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!morrison
From: morrison@accuvax.nwu.edu (Vance Morrison )
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: libg++ and copylefts
Message-ID: <914@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 18 Jul 89 22:59:52 GMT
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Reply-To: morrison@accuvax.nwu.edu (Vance Morrison )
Organization: Northwestern Univ. Evanston, Il.
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After following this discussion of copylefts and listening to a lot of
people rant at the evil of the copyleft, it occures to be there is a
very simple solution to the problem.

First, here are the two views

	FSF - Any software I create I want to be freely accesible.  I
	      don't want them makeing changes and calling it their own.
	      Also I want to make sure that people don't make money
	      off of my work unless they add significant value to it
	      (in which case they are making money off their added value).  

	Software Developer - I want to use the GNU code, but I also want
	      to be able to sell it, otherwise I can't make a living.

Both views are reasonable, here is my solution.

1) The software developer designs his code using the GNU libraries.  
2) He then compiles his modules into object files.   
3) He sells his software but distributes it with a linker and the
	gnu software libraries and gnu source.
4) Part of the installation process is linking his code to the GNU code.

Note that the software developer is now selling HIS software object 
files and distributing his stuff and the GNU stuff.  This is all
legal and the software developer keeps his stuff off the copyleft
(which is his goal), on the other hand, the GNU stuff gets distributed
and since the end user is informed that that part is free, and can
be used and distributed for other uses.  

What do you think?


Vance Morrison