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Comment by vor_ | Hacker News Reader

> Look at OS X, why does it use such an ancient version of Bash? Why is apple so afraid of the GPLv3? It's not just an oversight. The GPLv3 provides strong patent protection for its users and Apple uses patents as a weapon. An example of this powerful weapon was Apple's conspiracy to suppress wages by threatening companies who poached Apple employees with patent suits.

The Linux kernel developers also oppose the GPLv3. Are they enemies as well?

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To RMS? Probably.

The majority of programmers use free software for practical reasons and are willing to "compromise" with the desires of proprietary software companies.

For RMS free software is an ideological struggle. In his ideal world proprietary software wouldn't exist.

Its important to note, also, that for RMS the struggle is against non-free software, which is at times in conflict with what people who see free software as an ideological struggle to promote free software would view as desirable.

Its not just that its an ideological struggle for RMS, its what RMS sees that struggle as being about which can divide hi from others.

The problem is that the only way to win against non-free software is to provide viable free-software alternatives. Free software cannot win on ideology alone, it _has_ to provide the features users need.

dmm didn't say anyone and everyone opposing GPLv3 are bad, he's just giving an example of how NOT using GPLv3 can be used to punish or coerce behaviour against the principles RMS stands for.

Yes.

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