[NTLUG:Discuss] best article in a while

[Lance Simmons]

* David Venable <davidv at adoptageek.net> [030905 16:33]:
> Lance Simmons wrote:
> 
> > I was under the impression that only some of the TiVo software is
> > free, while the most important parts are unfree.
> >
> The parts that are not derived from GPL software have not been
> released.  Personally, I don't have a problem with that.

I meant not to criticize TiVo, but to make clear the nature of their use
of free software.  They use free software (and thereby benefit from the
work of the free software community) when they think it's to their
immediate advantage to do so, and they don't when they think it's not.
It's good that they return their changes in free software to the
community, but it's nothing less than what they are legally obligated to
do.  Their use of free software doesn't make their unfree software any
less unfree than anyone else's unfree software.

-- 
Lance Simmons

Our command of information is staggering. And yet with that command comes a
great temptation. Partly, it is the temptation to confuse an excellent means of
communication with communications that are excellent.
		-- Roger Kimball