Python no longer GPL-compatible

Henrik Gedenryd Henrik.Gedenryd at lucs.lu.se
Fri Sep 8 16:19:15 UTC 2000


Andrew C. Greenberg wrote:

> Critics of the Squeak license have often suggested that Squeak will
> necessarily be marginalized because Squeak-L is not GPL-compatible.

It seems problems are being invented long before they really exist.

> It has often occurred to me that such an argument, to the extent
> valid, is not so much identifying a flaw in Squeak-L as it does a
> flaw in GPL, 
... 
> But, as the argument
> has been made, GPL is far more pervasive, so the marginalization, as
> a practical matter, works to the detriment as Squeak.

It is interesting that if this is true, then the open source community,
nowadays the loudest Windows detractors, are adopting the same kind of
attitude as their object of detraction: Something is inferior because it is
incompatible with the major player in the field, while not being _worse_
than the same, but rather the opposite. Moreover, that while the shortcoming
may be on the behalf of the major player, it doesn't need to improve,
because it is now the major player.

> Perhaps GPL-incompatibility isn't such a bad thing, after all?

Right.

By the way, does the new plugin scheme in any way change the outlook wrt.
this perceived GPL problem? Ie. now that "hard linking" is not necessary
anymore?

Henrik






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