RE: Wine versions + future

On Thu, 16 May 2002 15:21, Patrik Stridvall wrote:

> > Well, this depends of your 'political' opinion.. Do you prefer a
> > useful non-free tool used by thousands or a free less usable tool
> > used only by tens of people ? I.e. are you part of the Linux camp of
> > pragmatists or of the Stallman camp of idealists :-)
>
> I'm a CYNICAL pragmatist. I mistrust the idealists, however not so
> much their goals as their naive belief that their means will accieve
> their goals.
>
> Concretely in the Wine case I mean that while I understand and in part
> agree with the goals of the LGPL camp I very much mistrust and
> disagree with the means (the LGPL + FUD about what the LGPL really
> means) to accieve the goals.

I agree with you.  I understand the lure of having everything free; I
just disagree with the means.  In my view, open source is a means of
sharing with others.  Sharing does not mean requiring anything back from
others.  If people follow my example and contribute back, that is
wonderful.  If they do not, no harm is done.

If someone has a proprietary version of code that I like, I do not feel
bitter about it.  I may try to make my own version, but I will not go
after their code even if it is based off of mine.

Forcing people to contribute their changes will not teach them a single
thing about sharing.  This is my problem with any GNU license.  It takes
the stance of pushing people in to sharing.  It just does not work.
Their instinct will be to give as little as possible.

On the other hand, if you share with someone, they are more likely to
give back.  The "moonies" used this technique effectively.  It is basic
psychology.  Or is it sociology?  I always get the two confused.

Sean
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