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From: pcg@aber-cs.UUCP (Piercarlo Grandi)
Newsgroups: gnu.gcc
Subject: Re: If the user does the link
Summary: FSF sw *can* be used in proprietary products -- see NeXT...
Message-ID: <999@aber-cs.UUCP>
Date: 9 Jun 89 12:18:58 GMT
Reply-To: pcg@cs.aber.ac.uk (Piercarlo Grandi)
Distribution: gnu
Organization: Dept of CS, UCW Aberystwyth
	(Disclaimer: my statements are purely personal)
Lines: 27

In article <8906080326.AA00639@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> rms@AI.MIT.EDU writes:
    
        Imagine if using the worlds greatest screwdriver obligated you to give
        away the system it built
    
    This analogy is false and misleading.  USING most GNU tools imposes no
    restrictions.  Only copying them or parts of them does so.  In a
    couple of cases, bison and the libraries, the way to use them involves
    copying parts of them.  In most cases, including gcc which is the
    subject for this list, it does not.

Let me support RMS on this. If "hoarders" want to use FSF sw, without taking
undue advantage of it (selling it and restricting its redistribution), they
can. The *only* problem I can see is the use of FSF libraries or components
(whether in source form, e.g. bison, or compiled, e.g.  libg) incorporated
in proprietary products; this is not impossible to solve, you can always use
PD libraries, or rewrite them, or buy equivalent ones (and if you'd rather
not, reflect that as a rule you cannot have your cake *and* eat it -- free
sw and sell it -- even if there are exceptions like X :->).

Finally, a proof of existence for those that still have doubts: NeXT.

Enough said?????????
-- 
Piercarlo "Peter" Grandi           | ARPA: pcg%cs.aber.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk
Dept of CS, UCW Aberystwyth        | UUCP: ...!mcvax!ukc!aber-cs!pcg
Penglais, Aberystwyth SY23 3BZ, UK | INET: pcg@cs.aber.ac.uk