Re: lynx-dev On invitations and pressure

[David Woolley]

> GNU Project.  The GPL is the preferred license for GNU software
> generally; in addition, many other projects and people that are not
> part of GNU also choose to use the GNU GPL.  But your description of

I think that the GPL is often used because other people do it.  I think
many people have used it without really reading and understanding it; I 
think they have a vague concept of what they consider free which may often
not actually comply with the FSF's definition.   Only in the last year
have those who do read the GPL started to rebel and there has been a lot
of discussion about alternative licenses; the term "open source" is
an attempt to avoid the connotations put on "free" by the FSF.

Certainly, in the case of Lynx, I think those who now understand it are
beginning to regret it in the area of the Secure Sockets Layer; it is not
nice to have to tell people that you cannnot supply, what is becoming an
essential function, in part because of the licence under which the code
is distributed.  Others I think still don't really appreciate that there
are more than US export controls at issue and I'm pretty sure that some
have been distributing SSL binaries within the USA in breach of clause 7,
and without realising they are doing anything wrong.

For SSL, there are ways of getting round the problem by distributing patches,
or proxies, but the current dominant market for "free" (used loosely) 
software is Windows 95 users, who have no capability to, nor any 
interest in building from source (or assembling systems from components),
and most will see no distinction between downloading a binary distribution
of GPLed software, like Lynx, and closed source, proprietory, software
like Internet Explorer.  To them, they are both things they download
from the internet with no legal requirement to handover money and then
install and run.  They certainly don't understand why IE should support SSL
and Lynx not, and either abandon Lynx or get an illegal copy, rather than 
complaining to their senator about patent law, when things are explained.

I'm also preparing another response basically about playing into 
commercial salesmen's hands by introducing fear, uncertainty and doubt, by
continual re-interpretations of the GPL.