Microsoft And The GPL/LGPL

AnimeFreak writes "In this CNET news article, it talks about how Microsoft's new license that will allow competing companies to read-over software code for their products does not allow software covered under the GPL/LGPL licensing agreement (such as Linux, SAMBA, and Mozilla)."

Comments

Re:Things To Do Today

[Pinball Wizard]

don't forget the Macarena.

Departure time

[syncrus]

We've got a desktop that works - ok, you have to choose between Gnome & KDE, but you get the point -, office like programs, even a few games... We've got everything a common user would like to have on his/her computer. Only problem relies with very specific software, and you still can try the WINE way... Two possible paths:
a)Keep offering the Windows user compatibility, so that it's easier to change OS
b)Stop offering any compatibility at all, while enhancing Linux itself because of that!
Someone suggested improving GPL by not allowing Windows to steal code from Linux. I wouldn't state it that way: just say that GPL/LGPL licensed code will not be allowed in any license that strictly forbids GPL/LGPL. That is clear and understandable, and I wonder wether this issue is already covered in GNU licenses.

This war will only be won the day new computers are shipped with a Linux choice, be it a copy of any Linux, a preinstalled choice, or whatever lets the user have a choice from the already preinstalled Windows, that the user is paying, BTW. Some companies are already doing that, but the vast majority still goes the Micro$oft way.

Finally, dear friend Billy talks to people like Aznar (Spain president), and sign contracts with governments on using Mickey soft, which means a hell lot of $$, and apparently an anti communism step (Aznar can be stated as right wing), but it is quite clear that it is exactly quite the opposite... So, I think that GNU should start doing exactly the same, and start visiting countries with open minds, informing them of Linux, which can be free for them, or even asking governments to support free software with donations, which will lately go back into them like if they had paid for a software suited for them - Germany comes to mind with their KDE support. This idea came to me after the excellent John Maddog speech during the GUADEC, commenting on how many potential users that cannot afford the Windows licensing system are waiting out there. I think that they only need that little push of finding out about Linux, and the rest will be history: world domination

Re:Welcome To The Real World.

[psavo]

Since the GPL makes it near impossible for an entity to simply produce and sell software as its core business, it is unsurprising that the world's largest software company would be wary of doing anything that encouraged the spread of this meme.

This is one of the goals too. A SW company must support it's code. If it's only producing it, then it's no good for anyone.
(We're talking about big software projects, not some dinky cout code).

resort to conspiracy theories about how MSFT wants to steal their code

But this is exactly how it is. Maybe my code is not one MS would steal, but someone other's is. By stealing I mean merely using it without _contributing_ all the fixes/features back.
One of the main features (for me) of GPL is feeding all the code back to the pool.