Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!ames!aurora!jaw
From: jaw@aurora.UUCP (James A. Woods)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: MINIX - From the mouth of the horse
Message-ID: <599@aurora.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Jan-87 21:40:31 EST
Article-I.D.: aurora.599
Posted: Mon Jan 19 21:40:31 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Jan-87 18:57:51 EST
References: <1026@botter.cs.vu.nl> <4564@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU>
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Mt. View, Ca.
Lines: 30
Keywords: MINIX FSF GNU freedom Unix
Summary: free software needs no law

# ``there's only one "two"`` -- local tv station slogan.

just wondering why purveyors of "totally free" unix-like software
seem overly concerned with the law, as the gnu project appears to be.
re-control through new age license agreements is not really much
different from the mentality of an armada of at&t attorneys.

i doubt it'd be worth it to gnu to really enforce re-distribution provisos,
especially if, as has been said in this forum, they can't even get enough
volunteers to completely re-invent the unix wheel.

the reality of software around here is that once it hits usenet, people do
what they want with it.  the u. s. government, for whom i work, has always
taken this enlightened attitude.  if we (this applies to universities as well)
develop something, give it away, and someone makes a buck off it, goody for
them if they add value and support it.  if private industry doesn't add value
and still manages to sell it, the condition never remains for long, since
the code, having been publicized as free, informs public-minded whistleblowers
who then re-publicize the free code.

as for what's available under gnu/minix, there's an obvious merger
with combining the nice and free optimizing gnu c compiler and sophisticated
public domain utilities not in minix (yacc, lex, compress, egrep, diff, etc.)
with the minix kernel.  since each package is cheaper than dinner for two
(at least in some parts of the world), this is easy enough to do.

long live the sean byrne usenet logo
(n years of usenet freedom and anarchy),

   ames!jaw