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Re: SC issues
- From: Tom Lord <lord at emf dot net>
- To: kenner at vlsi1 dot ultra dot nyu dot edu
- Cc: gcc at gcc dot gnu dot org
- Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2002 12:07:23 -0800 (PST)
- Subject: Re: SC issues
- References: <10203151924.AA13290@vlsi1.ultra.nyu.edu>
kenner:
The central rule of the SC is that it's members are their *as
individuals*, not as representatives of their company. Sure
they may well (and often will) have points of view that agree
with those of their companies, but I disagree that this means
the company has "power" in the sense you seem to imply.
The power of those companies doesn't (only) come through the SC. It's
a natural power, the consequence of being major contributors. It's a
power that has a self-interest in subjecting itself to greater review
and greater constraints by an external organization, because such
review and constraints can better protect the resource upon which the
power depends, and better promote the common interests of everyone
using the software.
> lord:
> The GNU project is itself aimed to promote an interest of
> the general public.
No. This represents a major misunderstanding of the GNU
project. I suggest you read some of its literature.
Let's please not start a "What is GNU" thread on the gcc list. A few
relevant points from the literature should make my meaning clear:
From "The GNU Manifesto" [emphasis added]
GNU, which stands for Gnu's Not Unix, is the name for the complete
Unix-compatible software system which I am writing so that I _can_give_
_it_away_[freely]_to_everyone_who_can_use_it_.
From "Philosophy of the GNU Project"
(http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/philosophy.html)
Free software is a matter of freedom: people should be free to
use software in all the ways that are socially useful.
"everyone", "matter of freedom", "people", "socially useful": an
interest of the general public.
-t