Re: Dual-Licensing Linux Kernel with GPL V2 and GPL V3

[Al Viro <viro@ftp.linux.org.uk>]

On Fri, Jun 15, 2007 at 02:04:45PM -0400, Lennart Sorensen wrote:
> So if Linus wasn't entirely clear to begin with that he wanted GPLv2
> only, then that is just too bad?  Well why not then say that if the
> GPLv2 didn't say that what Tivo did was bad, then too bad, you can't
> change your mind later.  The FSF can't have it both ways.

Of course they can - as any politician.  What, do you really think that
Bernd wakes up, looks in a mirror and spits in disgust?  I very much
doubt that.

Here's how that kind of stuff works: to be a successful politician one
needs to have ideals.  The more, the better.  Then there always will
be an ideal advanced by action one wants to take.  Experienced politician
is one that will be able to pick those automatically.  And feel damn
righteous at that.

Of course they can have it both ways - just say something like "we work
for the greater good of users", "what advances our goals helps the
interests of users", "we'll read both cases in a way that helps the
interests of users", "we are consistent in helping the interests of users".
And at that point any talk of inconsistencies will be deflected by the
highly moral considerations.  End of story.  Sprinkle with generic
constructs making the critics easier to ignore ("they do it because
they are Bad"/"they do it because they had been seduced by Evil"/
"they just parrot somebody"/"they do it because of <random psychobubble>"/
"they do it because of wrong ideology"/"they do it because of ego") and enjoy.