Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hpfcdc!marc
From: marc@hpfcdc.HP.COM (Marc[e] Sabatella)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: The GNU license.
Message-ID: <5160022@hpfcdc.HP.COM>
Date: 2 Aug 89 15:59:08 GMT
References: <873@umb.umb.edu>
Organization: HP Ft. Collins, Co.
Lines: 20

>Normally, your sources isn't a derivative
>work (even if your binary isn't), so you don't have to provide sources
>to the copylefted tools - just sources to your program.
>
>So where's the problem?

The problem is, most people don't *want* to give away sources to their program.
Many writers of software depend on the writing of computer programs to make a
living.  Imagine if the writer of LOTUS 1-2-3 had to give away his source.
Within two days, it would be on a public BBS, and he would never make another
dime from the years that went into LOTUS.

Even if the person to whom you gave the source were prevented by law from
disclosing the source to anyone else who hadn't bought LOTUS, that probably
wouldn't stop it from finding its way onto a BBS soon enough anyhow, and
the LOTUS writer would be forced to go to court to reclaim damages from someone
who probably doesn't have the money anyhow.

If he hadn't had to give away the sources to begin with, he could sit around
and collect his royalties like any sane capitalist.