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Re: [News] Linux and OSS Will Not Kill People

Roy Schestowitz wrote:

> __/ [ BearItAll ] on Tuesday 15 August 2006 08:21 \__
> 
>> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>> 
>>> Open source project adds "no military use" clause to the GPL
>>> 
>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>> | That's intriguing enough, but the really interesting thing about GPU
>>> | is the license its developers have given it. They call it a "no
>>> | military use" modified version of the GNU General Public License
>>> | (GPL).
>>> `----
>>> 
>>>         http://www.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=06/08/14/1438204
>> 
>> I don't like that. To me its All or None. Everyone has to have access
>> without distinction of class or politics. Are they to deny access to
>> terrorist groups, if they are, how might they manage to do that.
> 
> 
> It took me a couple of minutes to find it, but have a look:
> 
> Linux robots elicit human responses
> 
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | U.S. soldiers in Iraq are forming emotional ties to Linux-powered
> | robots, according to Reuters. iRobot's robots -- used for tasks such
> | as explosives defusing and cave exploration -- are being given nicknames
> | and winning loyalty, to the extent that soldiers request repairs for
> | their favorites, Reuters says.
> `----
> 
>                 http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4082958224.html
> 

They look very like the robots used in northern ireland. I knew one of the
programmers for those, he was one of those very young boyish looking types
with a brain the size of a planet we worked together on some designs, and I
have to say that my year working with him taught me more than all the
college years put together. It was a nice touch that he was a very humble
young lad too (gads, how rare is that :) ). 

But he was rubbish at darts. I don't know where he went after I finished
there, but I know his main interest area was neurology applied to computer
models. He is probably creating a Robby the Robot clone as we speak.


> This is fairly recent. And, by the way, I suspect that some terrorists
> (the smarter ones) use Linux for privacy. They proabably won't be around
> to comment on splendid usability and stability, will they? I still suspect
> that the US uses Windows to get access to locally-stored files. The German
> and French government seems to concur. I wrote about this yesterday, in
> case you are interested < http://tinyurl.com/g2wtk >.
> 

I know what you mean about the military, or rather, intelligence departments
making use of MS flaws to gather information. But I don't really see
anything wrong in that, provided the information really is a hunt for
terrorists and other criminals and not a way to control anyones destiny.
(sorry, typing the first part reminded me of a film).

Personally I would be happy in a world with no terrorist or criminals, that
isn't going to happen, so instead I would be happy for those who's job it
is to protect us get access to what ever information their require to do
the job safely (for them).

If we deny them then we can't really grumble the next time aircraft are
flown into buildings.

> I never used Ham Radio (I have it installed though; SUSE has everything),
> so I can't comment. *frown* Are you suggesting that GPL forbids some forms
> of publicity? I must be misinterpreting this completely. But it reminds me
> of a thread I have been involved in this morning...
> 

It might have changed, but my brief time as a Hammer was very like the old
CB radio. You have a handle, you call out on a channel, someone says hello,
you say hello back. He says goodbuy and you say goodbuy back.

Call me small minded if you like but I found it difficult to maintain my
interest.


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