Re: Again: list of advantages of the xGPL

Sean C. Farley wrote:

>On Wed, 12 Jun 2002 18:54, Roland wrote:
>
[snip]

>  
>
>>2) Prevent embrace and extend tactics. Imagine Linux being under X11.
>>I wouldn't feel comfortable thinking about the possibility of M$ using
>>this tactic. They certainly have the cash to afford making their own
>>fork, think about what happened with the Kerberos protocol.
>>    
>>
>
>In regards to Linux, they could just pump a lot of money into the
>FreeBSD project to compete with Linux.  This has not happened.  Also,
>there is no point for Microsoft to actively embrace and extend any other
>operating system.  It would only hurt their own sales.
>
>Besides, the GPL does not prevent embracing and extending the code any
>more than it prevents forks.
>  
>
Forks certainly can happen but the problem with embrace and extend 
tactics is that the extend is proprietory (closed source) and that can't 
happen under GPL.

>As for Kerberos, they could have done this easily be writing their own
>implementation.  As you said (and I agree), they certainly have the
>cash.
>
If Kerberos was GPL Microsoft would have a harder time of it. first off 
they would have to prove that they did not use the GPL source. Yes they 
have the money to start from scratch but why make it easier?

GPL software is for all intents and purposes immune to embrace and 
extend tactics. Of course thats the reason that makers of proprietory 
software have a problem with it.

[snip]

The rest of the statements are certainly debatable so please continue if 
you wish....

Tony Lambregts