Hacker News: critic

What I think about RMS's hatred of closed source

critic — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:21:59 +0000

Article URL: http://www.cafepress.com/linuxhatersblog.283165091

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=528038

Points: 2

# Comments: 3

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:14:35 +0000

Nonsense.

> Lesser GPL permits use of the library in proprietary programs

That means "in some cases", not "in all cases". Logical fallacy on your part.

> ordinary GPL for a library makes it available only for free programs

Here, GPL'ers contradict themselves (for both senses of "free"). GPL code can, technically, be non-gratis. And GPL code can be used in non-GPL programs (you just can't distribute them easily).

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:03:53 +0000

> but if it weren't for this guy you

We'd be using OS X and FreeBSD instead of Linux. Who's laughing now?

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:54:25 +0000

Somebody, please save RMS, write an Emacs mode that inserts spaces into JavaScript and converts single char names into made up longer ones! For extra bonus, insert comments that talk about how if you are not using GNU, you are a slave! A slave, I tell ya!

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:49:40 +0000

> It's not clear at all why you think you should be entitled to that code

I never said I was. In the GNU utopia, Linux killed MS and all libraries are GPL.

My options are:

1. Spend years writing apps that help cure cancer, GPL them and starve. (not exactly hypothetical)

2. Develop some Web apps that are not bound by GPL. Make money.

What do you think I will choose in your GNU communist utopia?

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:39:12 +0000

By accompanying your object code with GPL/LGPL, you are promising your customers that your code is GPL/LGPL, i.e. you will be bound to open your code.

The fact that your understanding of the license is different shows just how sneaky and obfuscated LGPL is.

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:03:25 +0000

But your planting of a tree doesn't automatically prevent the farmer you bought the apple from from making any money.

If I have to release my code under GPL, I can't make money charging thousands for it (low volume type of app). If I can't make money from it, I won't spend years developing it. Not having the app would make it harder for some pharma scientist somewhere to cure cancer. Everyone loses. Communism doesn't work.

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:33:31 +0000

No. Whose object code? Is it talking about my object code or the library's?

Ten lines per function, per header, per library, per program?

Edit: I think you didn't understand LGPL yourself either. I think in the quoted lines, "object code" refers to your code, and accompanying them with a copy of GPL refers to having to release your code under GPL. Or do you think you only have to say you release it under GPL and not actually release it?

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:09:53 +0000

If, as you say, LGPL, is clear to you, what do you think "object code" refers to in the (b) clause you just quoted? How are the "ten lines" counted in the paragraph above (you didn't quote): separately or total? etc. etc.

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:23:02 +0000

This sounds like a web developer arguing that all software should be free, except web apps.

In my opinion, all software should be free, when all groceries are free.

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:19:58 +0000

That's what they want you to believe. Try reading the license.

You have to know how many lines from the header file you are "distributing" (in the GNU lingo). If you are using C++ templates, you are probably screwed. You have to make sure you link dynamically (or else). LGPL seems to require advertising the library. And if you want do static linking, talk to a lawyer. Linus and RMS disagree on what constitutes "derived work", btw.

Edit: I'd like to know what motivated people to upmod parent, when it's factually incorrect and can cost developers dearly if they take the message at face value.

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:27:38 +0000

RMS is complaining about Obfuscript. Speaking of obfuscation, I hope someone would deobfuscate LGPL for me.

New comment by critic in "Ask HN: What Visa for a UK team to come to YC?"

critic — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:23:01 +0000

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=460914

New comment by critic in "The Javascript Trap"

critic — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:15:03 +0000

"communist"

New comment by critic in "Ask HN: Is AI a growing field?"

critic — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:01:22 +0000

Google: "Did you mean: Quantos"

New comment by critic in "Why Advertising Is Failing On The Internet"

critic — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:52:13 +0000

> if commercials are synchronized

Are they? If there are 9 synchronized channels and 1 that's not. I believe that 1 wins, because everyone else switches there out of boredom.

New comment by critic in "Why Advertising Is Failing On The Internet"

critic — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:17:48 +0000

I bet TV ads stopped working as well when TV remotes became popular.

New comment by critic in "Why Advertising Is Failing On The Internet"

critic — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:14:01 +0000

> There are plenty of examples of successful companies that have used this model

Do you mean they used their blog as the main marketing effort? I'd like to hear more about those.

It seems if the users are looking at your blog, they've found you already. Or perhaps those companies created thousands of other blogs that were only used for search engine optimization (linking back to their money blog)? That I can understand.

New comment by critic in "Segway Meets Big Dog - The Cajun Crawler, Interviews & Video"

critic — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 18:47:22 +0000

Do not operate without a helmet and a mouth guard.

New comment by critic in "Leksah: a Haskell IDE written in Haskell"

critic — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 05:56:31 +0000

I wonder why they didn't use wxHaskell instead for the GUI. Also, what's up with Greek identifiers?