Re: Windows Services for UNIX 3.5 now Free

[Jani Tiainen <redetin at luukku dot com>]

Alexander Shopov wrote:

> Gratis maybe (for the 3.5 beta) but definately NOT free.
> al_shopov

Now, this is completely off topic... But, english word "free" greatly 
depends on context.

GPL (and derivatives) uses free in context of freedom to use and modify 
original piece of work, still _you can_ charge for distribution. And for 
point of end user GPL isn't really even freedom to use. It has 
_restriction_. Derivate work (eg. if you link against GPL library) you 
have to make your work GPL also. That's not really free(dom). (Well, 
that's why other, less restrictive licences has emerged).

Most fanciest solution I've seen is mySQL, well, it's GPL, its free for 
non-commercial use, but for commercial mySQL only apps (which are 
considered linked apps), must buy _commercial mySQL licence_. Now is 
that freedom?

This is like here in Finland alcohol importing from other EU countries 
became "unlimited". Now still customs have power to confisticate alcohol 
if it suspects that alcohol is not for personal use... And now they're 
testing it in court of law. (Some guy tried to import approx 250 litres 
of spirits, 1k litres of beer, some wine and other liquors.). Well 
that's real "freedom".

Now SFU is free (to use), but for other aspects, I don't know, and 
really I don't care.

Only thing I've been really missing is working NFS client for Windoze, 
then I'm happy. Cygwin does all the other dirty job.

--

Jani Tiainen


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