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by eridius 3699 days ago
GPLv3 is still not clearly superior to GPLv2. GPLv3 is only superior if you agree with the new restrictions added in GPLv3, but again, not everybody does. And you know damn well that this is purely opinion, because you already referenced Linus Torvalds's stance on this matter.

There's two issues at play with copyleft licenses. The first is making the source available to others, and the second is allowing others to install modified versions of the software. GPLv3 mandates both. GPLv2 was certainly intended to mandate both, but ends up mostly just mandating the first. If all you care about is having other people who use your software release the source to their modified versions, then GPLv2 is clearly superior to GPLv3 because it has fewer restrictions. Similarly, if you care about having source made available but you also want to have your software become as popular as possible, you may opt for GPLv2 because it's a lot more likely for companies to use your software than if it's GPLv3.
1 comments
paxcoder 3698 days ago
Copyleft is those user-protecting restrictions. I'll refrain from repeating myself.

By your "fewer restrictions" logic, permissive licenses would be the ones most copyleft. Again, the purpose of copyleft is proliferating "freedom-respecting" software, not amassing - open source. Code that is open, but you can't utilize freely because of a locked-down device or a patent - "misses the point". Preceding references emerged organically and... whoa.

Most GPLv2 bias which isn't caused by Linux' licensing is due to the kind of FUD you've perpetuated in this thread, not any actual issue with GPLv3.

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eridius 3698 days ago
> By your "fewer restrictions" logic, permissive licenses would be the ones most copyleft

Please don't strawman me. I already explained how there's two different freedoms that copyleft licenses seek to protect, and it's perfectly valid for someone to care only about the first freedom but not the second, and for such a person the GPLv2 is superior.

> Most GPLv2 bias which isn't caused by Linux' licensing is due to the kind of FUD you've perpetuated in this thread, not any actual issue with GPLv3.

Contrary to what you may believe, FUD is not defined as "any opinion you disagree with". And by calling my arguments FUD instead of actually trying to address the points I made, you're just telling me that you can't actually argue against what I said so you'd rather try and discredit me.

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paxcoder 3697 days ago
Ignore, pretend, you'll still be wrong. I'll call it like I see it.
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