Bad copy problem: Difference between revisions

146 bytes added ,  24 November 2003
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To some degree this has already happened to [[free software]] in several ways:
To some degree this has already happened to [[free software]] in several ways:
#open source is to a degree a "bad copy" of the free software concept that lures in many contributors who would otherwise contribute to free software
#[[open source]] is to a degree a "bad copy" of the free software concept that lures in many contributors who would otherwise contribute to free software - at least, according to [[Richard Stallman]] they would otherwise contribute!  There is no independent evidence that this is true outside his [[ideology]].
#open source licenses themselves allow developers to extend and "protect" their extensions under patent law or independent copyright, unlike in free software licenses
#open source licenses themselves allow developers to extend and "protect" their extensions under [[patent]] law or independent [[copyright]], unlike in free software licenses
#the extreme variety of versions of operating systems and file systems like [[w:Linux|Linux]] makes it impossibly difficult to concentrate maintenance and usability effort, making for an OS that is hard for the ordinary user to maintain due to sheer dilution and confusion
#the extreme variety of versions of operating systems and file systems like [[Linux]] makes it impossibly difficult to concentrate maintenance and [[usability]] effort, making for an OS that is hard for the ordinary user to maintain due to sheer dilution and confusion
#[[w:Richard Stallman|Richard Stallman]] himself has objected to Linux incorporating many GNU utilities and not calling itself "GNU Linux", but the [[GPL]] never asked for this nor applied any [[trademark]] or other instrument that would make this a condition of re-use of those utilities;  Presumably, having ''one'' "GNU Linux" would make it easier to tell the best version(s) from dozens of nasty variants.
#[[Richard Stallman]] himself has objected to Linux incorporating many GNU utilities and not calling itself "GNU Linux", but the [[GPL]] never asked for this nor applied any [[trademark]] or other instrument that would make this a condition of re-use of those utilities;  Presumably, having ''one'' "GNU Linux" would make it easier to tell the best version(s) from dozens of nasty variants.


It's also happened to [[wiki code]].  There are a huge number of versions that seem to exist for no particular reason other than that someone wanted to write a wiki  (see [[self-interested fork problem]]).  This drastically dilutes the effort available to make any of them of any use.
It's also happened to [[wiki code]].  There are a huge number of versions that seem to exist for no particular reason other than that someone wanted to write a wiki  (see [[self-interested fork problem]]).  This drastically dilutes the effort available to make any of them of any use.
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