Subj : Re: GNU Public Licences Revisited (again)
To   : comp.programming
From : Joe Butler
Date : Tue Aug 23 2005 06:55 pm

An useful clarification.  I'd not realise this.

But, if you are selling a £30 application, then any competitor that wants
the source would simply purchase your app as a way to get many thousand's of
hours worth of development work at a reduced price.

The original GPL source doesn't count, because the authors choose to give it
away for free.


"Tatu Portin" <axel86@mbnet.fi> wrote in message
news:h8IOe.264$n72.49@read3.inet.fi...
> Joe Butler wrote:
> > So, what's the reasoning behind these licences that don't allow a
commercial
> > (closed source) apps from using them?
> >
> > In once sense, if the idea behind the GPL, etc. is to benefit others,
this
> > is a limitation that will reduce the number of people that can actually
> > benefit from it.  A closed source app is not going to open its source
just
> > so it can use some GPL.  If the source was allowed to be used by all,
> > without the restrictions on commercial apps, that would benefit a lot
more
> > people, wouldn't it?
>
> You can sell GPL'd apps. You just must provide the source code also. But
> you aren't required to give the source to somebody that is not your
> customer. Then, it's up to your customer to decide, whetever or not he
> shares his app & source with others.

.