:NewsForge: A Modified License for Free Software Fairness
NewsForge: A Modified License for Free Software Fairness Dec 2, 2003, 01 :00 UTC (17 Talkback[s]) (6299 reads) (Other stories by Apurva Mehta)
"We should not be misled by the apparent success of Free Software projects today. The popular Free Software licenses, such as the GNU GPL and the BSD License, are not conducive to innovative software development. The fact that many Free Software products are popular should not hide the facts about the licenses under which they are being distributed.
"Historically, producers are rewarded for their effort, and can in turn compensate the efforts of others as they see fit. In the modern world, the vehicle of this reward and compensation is money. The amount of money you get for your work is an indication of the value of your work to other people. If I create something that could save someone a great deal of effort, then I expect that person to compensate me equally with the fruits of his effort. That ensures my survival. In other words, my work ensures my survival.
"Conventional products of the mind have a material form. The brilliant engineering that went into a car manifests itself in the car, which is assembled from a number of parts. Those parts and the car as a whole cannot be duplicated easily..."
