[WG-Structure] GPL Network?

[Clae]

>  > From: David Arnold [mailto:arnold at dstc.monash.edu.au]
>
>  > what aspects of GPLed software would we like to replicate?

One aspect we will probably need to replicate, on my reading of the 
legislation, is that we will need to make sure that no-one is 
plugging a "for-profit" network onto the end our "not for profit" one.

>  > i wonder if the FSF might be interested in assisting in drafting a
>  > Free Network Licence ?

i think that is an excellent idea.

>/snip/
>Approaching someone like Richard Stallman/FSF and asking for assistance is
>an excellent idea

i know the people he stays with when in melbourne, he could well be 
approached through them

>I don't mean to derive

depart?

>too much from the idea that we need a committee and
>such, but keeping an open mind is a really good idea in these very early
>stages.  In a couple of months when we progress, such far-flung ideas will
>be completely unobtainable,

i disagree.  we should let the group make those choices, not the 
working group.  our job IMHO is to clarify the pros and cons of each 
model the best we can.

>we need to at least *glance* over a few
>*different* models of running the network *now*.

agreed.  here's one to ponder - pyramid marketing :)

>  >From http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/pragmatic.html:
>***************************************************************
>//
>I want to encourage free software to spread,
>replacing proprietary software

which is what we want to do with networking - maybe "complementing" 
rather than "replacing"
//
>The GNU GPL is not Mr. Nice Guy. It says ``no'' to some of the things that
>people sometimes want to do.

like re-selling access to our "free" network for profit.

>What we can do is offer them an inducement to join. The GNU GPL is designed
>to make an inducement from our existing software: ``If you will make your
>software free, you can use this code.''

"If you make all access downstream of you free, you can connect to 
this network"

It occurs to me that it only takes one node to adopt a license like 
this, and you have the beginnings of a GPL-like network.

The Permaculture movement uses an interesting variant on this - the 
copyright on the word "Permaculture" is vested in the hands of all 
graduates worldwide from an accredited permaculture design course 
(like me).  Any graduate who is aware of a breach of copyright - use 
of the word to describe something that does not live up to the ideals 
of the movement - can then take action against the offending party.

Not sure how applicable that is to us, but it's interesting.

Clae
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