[LINK] GPL, BSD, and NetBSD - why the GPL rocketed Linux to success

[Kim Holburn]

On 2006 Sep 23, at 10:15 AM, Howard Lowndes wrote:
> I was bemused that the article failed to make mention of MacOSX and  
> the many BSD licenced utilities that have been used by Microsoft -  
> telnet is the classic example.

On the contrary, he mentioned various companies taking code base from  
BSD, just not Apple by name but it's clear that Apple is probably the  
thing that has recent made a really big impact on the BSDs.

> The Cato Institute spokesmidget wrote:
>> Kim Holburn [kim at holburn.net] wrote:
>>> Interesting article on why the GPL has made linux so successful.
>>>
>>> http://www.dwheeler.com/blog/2006/09/01/#gpl-bsd
>>>
>>>> I think there is one primary reason Linux-based systems  
>>>> completely  dominate the *BSDs' market share -
>> this is false. bsd licenced unix outstrips linux. the article  
>> should be
>> titled why has gpl slowed down the adoption of linux, not the  
>> other way around.
>> the answer is pretty self evident.
>
> True.  If Linux was licenced under the BSD then there would be no  
> Vista and M$ would have launched a secure OS years ago, all on the  
> back of community hard work.

It could have done that at any time with BSD code which was around  
and mature long before linux and it didn't.  It could still do it  
now, like Apple!  Instead it used VMS.  It could have a secure  
operating system now if it wanted.  It doesn't have the will to lose  
legacy third party code (applications, drivers) and to rewrite the  
obfuscation methods that stop other people competing with its server  
systems.  Also if it did do that people like OEMs might turn around  
say well if Microsoft thought BSD was good then maybe we should just  
use BSD.  Microsoft is a monopoly because of its OEM licensing.

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/Home/E36929A1-EA70-493B-B823- 
DCCEA85DAF54.html
> Remember that Microsoft wasn't judged a monopoly based on its  
> market share, but rather due to an inability for others to enter  
> the PC operating system market due to the Microsoft price paradox.  
> Windows wasn’t sold, it was bundled.

--
Kim Holburn
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