On Fri, Oct 03, 2008 at 12:11:59PM -0500, Dan Armbrust wrote:
> > Again, you use the word "scared" in the context of GPL. Show me the
> > actual problems with the GPL.
>
> Well, I guess it was more the reaction that I've seen in person from
> the various corporate lawyers that I have had to interact with in the
> past. I don't know if they were actually scared of the GPL, but they
> made darn sure to try to scare me into not even bringing that up again
> as a possibility. Most of them are only interested in minimizing
> risk.
>
> Maybe you have worked for companies that have more reasonable lawyers
> than what I have encountered.
>
> But if you were writing software for a company, which your company
> didn't want to release, but you wanted to use some GPL licensed
> utility in the software, do you really want to attempt to convince
> your corporate lawyers whether or not your usage fits the definition
> of a derivative work? Assuming you can even find a legal, court
> tested definition....
If it fits or not the definition of derivative work is the job of the
lawyers, and if it makes sense from the business side is the job of
the VPs. In any venture there are risks and payoffs and one has to make
all sorts of choice, based on competing constraints. GPL is just another
one of those choices along with buy, lease, build, license, and others.
Cheers,
florin
--
Bruce Schneier expects the Spanish Inquisition.
http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/fact/163
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