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RMS Blasts Sun's Open Source Patent Licensing

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the always-with-a-skeptical-eye dept.

cdlu writes "RMS takes Sun to task on its recent announcement that it is releasing 1,600 patents to the open source community. Among the major points, the license the patents are released under doesn't apply to patents, and Sun has not promised to not sue anyone using the technology within free software projects."

2 of 591 comments (clear)

  1. RMS has lost credibility with me by Frank+T.+Lofaro+Jr. · · Score: 1, Troll

    I really won't worry about this until I hear a big name other than RMS/St. IGNUcious/Mr. Free Software is not Open Source/Linux is really "GNU/Linux" say that this is a problem.

    RMS doesn't want to make any concessions. The Open Source community does, and gets taken seriously. RMS does not do that, and does not get taken seriously.

    It is sad, he is so extreme he is even losing credibility with OSS supporters as myself. I trust Linus Torvalds still.

    Here is an example of the FSF being pig headed. GCC vs EGCS. EGCS was a free version of GCC taken up by Cygnus (a commercial company). EGCS was better about adding needed patches than GCC was, and was the only usable alternative for a while until the mainstream GCC incorporated the patches.

    RMS and the FSF need to play ball. That is how stuff gets done in the Real World.

    I still support the FSF and RMS' pro-software freedom stances, but I think a change in tactics is in order.

    --
    Just because it CAN be done, doesn't mean it should!
  2. Re:Copy Right Infringement by Leo+McGarry · · Score: 1, Troll

    Sigh.

    Show of hands: Who here is sick and tired of this "You gave us your property for free, but rather than being grateful we're going to be pissed off that you held something back for yourself" attitude?

    Is it just me?