Why the distinction between free software and GPL software is important

[manchicken]

On Friday 27 April 2007 05:02:43 Mark Wallace wrote:
> I'm using legal terms.  The gnome site hyperlink isn't using legal
> terms because it isn't trying to make a legal point.  The person who
> is citing it in a discussion of legal issues isn't clear on the point
> that Gnome is trying to make
>
> At 08:14 AM 26/04/2007, you wrote:
> >On Thursday 26 April 2007 12:35, Mark Wallace wrote:
> > > The reason why the distinction between free and GPL software is
> > > important is someone could get into a lot of trouble is they took
> > > Reader and  used it as a basis to reverse engineer a product that
> > > would compete with the Acrobat full suite.
> >
> >Would you care to elaborate what definition of "free" you have in mind
> >here? If you look it up at e.g. www.dictionary.com you get many
> >definitions for "free", but only a few talk about the absence of money /
> >cost.
> >
> > > He would be free to do
> > > that with XPDF, and could turn around and make what he did
> > > proprietary, as long as he made the original xpdf available for free.
> >
> >I think xpdf is distributed under the GPL. Therefore the changes may
> >become proprietary, but the combined product, i.e. the modified xpdf, may
> >not become proprietory. The modified xpdf may only be distributed under
> >the terms of the GPL.
> >
> >
> >Nils
> >
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>
> Robert Mark Wallace
> Tita P Walllace
> Regina E P Wallace
> R M Ceferino P Wallace
> 60 Delaware Road
> Newburgh, NY 12550-3802
> Telephone: (845) 566-0586

Who said anything about GNOME?

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~ manchicken <><
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