NPO

Derek A. Neighbors plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us
Sat, 21 Apr 2001 11:50:36 -0700


> <aside>KDE is not dual licensed, Qt is</aside>

Cool, couldnt remember if it was Qt or KDE or both.

> I'm actually acutely aware of pretty much everything to do with GPL
> and GPL-like licenses and MUCH more aware of the terminology and what
> it means than I'd like.  "Benefits" of fighting the KDE license wars
> for so many years, I guess :-/

I apologize I didnt mean that directly reflected 
at you but at the audience as a whole. 
Unfortunately until you have had to deal with 
license issues on a low level to resolve issues, 
its hard to understand all the little nuances in each.

> Hehe.. one could argue that it *is* "mandatory", though, if you are in
> contact with other free software advocates frequently.  I've seen
> people *jumped* at shows by (mostly) Debian and GNU volunteers (never
> the paid people -- they are all very cool individuals) when they have
> refused to view free software as a moral issue.

I am pretty much a GPL nazi, but I do 'jump' 
people.  I respect those that believe the BSD 
style of licensing works for them and can carry on 
an intelligent conversation about it, without 
attacking them as a person or morally.

While I favor the GPL in many respects for the 
moral initiative behind it, I think it has other 
merits as well.

 
> I agree that if you don't have much contact with that crowd you could
> easily consider yourself a "free software advocate" without going all
> the way.

I have daily contact, but still dont feel it 
necessary to morally attack people or other items. 
  For example while I normally suggest GNOME to 
people because it is LGPL and a GNU project.  I 
dont say KDE sucks.  In fact on several occassions 
I have said it really is the right choice for a 
particular entity because of some of its strengths 
for converting windows users.

While I love Debian, I rarely if ever suggest it 
to a new GNU\Linux user unless they came from the 
Unix world. Anyhow, I think you are correct in the 
generalization that most FSF supports are a little 
more 'fanatical'.

> Indeed.  And I don't fault RMS for his positions at all.  Even though
> I don't feel like he does, I *do* think that his "black and white"
> world view was necessary to get this movement started.  He is also
> INCREDIBLY consistent in his beliefs and I respect that in anybody.

Yes that was what got me started.  Here is a guy 
that has been saying the same thing for over 15 
years.  In any industry that is pretty good, but 
in our industry its next to unbelievable.  His 
black and white world also serves as a good check 
and balance system.

<aside>
You tag line says
KDE - Conquer your desktop (or something like that)

Shouldnt it be

KDE - Konquer your desktop ;)
</aside>

If us GNU freaks go nuts with G's shouldnt you 
with K's :)

BTW: I really respect your good clean logical and 
non flame like responses.  If only more people 
could talk about issues like this in that way.

Derek Neighbors
derek@gnu.org