iPhone restricts users, GPLv3 frees them

[Chad Leigh]

On Jul 2, 2007, at 3:02 AM, LuKreme wrote:

> On 2-Jul-2007, at 01:57, Chad Leigh wrote:
>> But history I think shows that the software that is not GPL but  
>> some other license has lead to more innovation and user choice  
>> than has the GPL as it has inspired others to do new things, to  
>> build upon the shoulders of those who came before, and give us new  
>> and better SW that the GPL has not.  OS X is a good example.
>
> gcc is the ultimate counter example.

Not really.  It has not lead to more choice, or particularly  
innovation -- gcc is about it and gcc is not that great a compiler  
compared to the top of the hill commercial offerings in terms of code  
output quality.  And it is the sort of example of program that most  
computer users don't get too excited about unless they are actually  
developing SW.

I did not say that GPL software all sucks.  Just that it does not  
lead to the sorts of innovation and new ideas that might come about  
with a profit motive.

gcc works great but does not prove anything.

> Come on, a large portion of all the development done in OSS would  
> not have even been possible without gcc.

Pure horse hooey.  Something else would have stepped in to takes its  
place.

gcc is a fine product but does not prove anything.

>
> I seem to recall being able to get a copy of AT&T Unix with a --  
> the number 6100 jumps to mind -- AT&T microcomputer that was being  
> retired at a place I worked.  Unix came with the machine, but I  
> would have to buy a c compiler myself.  This was... oh, 1988? 89?
>
> If I remember right, the company would sell me the obsolete machine  
> for $300.  AT&T wanted $3000 for a c compiler.
>
> Might not have been $3000, but it WAS 4 digits.
>
> Where would we be without gcc?

Probably about the same place we are now more or less I would guess.   
Something else would have happened in its place.  But it didn't and  
we use gcc, which is fine.  (This statement assumes that open source  
would still have developed more or less the way it is now but using  
someone elses compiler that would have come out -- chances are  
someone would have released a usable compiler)

Chad