Re: Source copyable software is better than artificial life

Aaron Sherman (asherman@fmrco.com)
Fri, 30 Sep 1994 18:10:34 GMT

Please note that followups are directed at gnu.misc.discuss...

>>>>> On 29 Sep 1994, josefd@albert.ssl.berkeley.edu (Josef Dalcolmo) said:

Josef> Aaron Watters <aaron@vienna.njit.edu> wrote:

>Free software is artificial life, but better.

Josef> And free software and it's life is threatened by lawsuits,
Josef> software patents and interface copyrights. (That includes
Josef> programs like X-Windows or the free spreadsheet you are using
Josef> right now!)

You know, I'm a member of the LPF, but I just can't remember any
instance where free software was stopped by a lawsuit, patent or
interface copyright. Is there an example? Apple vs. whomever-it-is-
this-week doesn't count, because it was never vs. free software. I've
never heard of a free software package's author being sued for
producing free software.

I joined the league because I think that software patents and UI
copyrights are bad things, not because I see them having much of an
impact on free software.

-AJS

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