What if Microsoft (or another company hostile to free software and GPL) buys the FSF or otherwise takes control of the FSF? It would release version 4 of the GPL which would be a proprietary license. What would happen to all the existing software that are licensed under "GPLv2 or (at your option) any later version" and "GPLv3 or (at your option) any later version"? What would happen to all the code that the FSF owns in the GNU Project?
I fear that this might result in the ultimate victory for Microsoft, after having worked hard for decades to destroy free software. These hostile companies seem to have infiltrated open source. For example, Microsoft joining the Linux Foundation to control it and to destroy it from the inside, all while pretending to "love" open source as part of its corporate propaganda.
FSF was secretly run by MS after all!
There's no way Stallman would allow that.
It's not sensible for the FSF to choose to sell out their principles of promoting the ethical solution to the social problem of proprietary software. Therefore it's not sensible for Microsoft to buy out the FSF for the purpose of controlling the FSF. The only way for this to happen is for the FSF to contradict its current mission of selling freedom to the world of users who own their own computers.
>>3
Stallman is not infallible, invincible, and/or immortal.
>>5
Why are you implying that Stallman is the FSF? Stallman is one man within the FSF. All the people who work in the FSF are committed to the mission of selling freedom to a free society.
>>5
How do you know? I have yet to see any evidence on the contrary.
... the world of users who own their own computers.
When the FSF holds the copyright to all "open source" hardware, there will be no more users who own their own computers. Everything will be owned either by giant corporations or by the FSF, making the FSF indistinguishable from those giant corporations. The FSF should be destroyed before it is too late.
>>8
No.
>>8
Open source hardware will never be strictly defined, the freedom is eternal since you didn't write the schematics in postscript and package it in reproducible boxing.
If MS buys the FSF, we can just make FSF2
Who the fuck is we?
You and I
It can happen under the auspices of "increasing diversity in the FSF", where the "diverse" elements will be fully controlled by MSFT, and all the existing members will gladly fall in line, not wanting to anti-virtue-signal
I guess it's just a matter of time.
I hope the people who work at microsoft start to get targeted and brutally attacked.
I know a few who work there, I might get the ball rolling by boiling them alive.
>>15
Please don't do that. In the secret courtroom, the pro-Microsoft judges (handpicked by Microsoft) will throw you into a high tech dungeon beneath Microsoft's headquarters, where you and your family will be subject to years of education/indoctrination about the beauty and glorious history of Microsoft Corporation.
I hope the people who work at microsoft start to get targeted and brutally attacked. I know a few who work there, I might get the ball rolling by boiling them alive.
In response, Microsoft will raise a private army to counter the terrorists. Microsoft will then use its army to take over your town, county, state, country, the world, and the solar system. Microsoft will impose democracy on its subjects, where each Microsoft Corporation shareholder gets one vote per share. Please don't give Microsoft an excuse to take over the world.
>>16
This except for it's real life now.
>>17
All young adults will be conscripted into the Microsoft army, and be taught to denounce the "tyrannical" FSF and the "feudal" GPL. Those unfit for military service will have the option to either join the "Sanitary Brigade" (janitorial service for Microsoft's offices) or to become code monkeys working on the next iteration of Microsoft's revolutionary operating system.
Every year on Liberation Day, citizens of the world will celebrate Microsoft's glorious victory over the authoritarian FSF. Microsoft Corporation's shareholders will become the new aristocracy in this new world. Share ownership will be hereditary, and social status will depend on the number of shares owned. For the first time in history, the entire world will be ruled by a democracy, a democracy where the electorate consists of Microsoft shareholders. There will be much progress in science and technology. The red, green, blue, and yellow Microsoft flag unites the world. Long live Microsoft!
It's just a matter of time before Google buys facebook, then the beast merges with microsoft.
>>19
That would be a dream come true. With their combined resources, they would be able to completely crush the FSF. All the open source extremists will have nowhere to hide. The world will finally have the chance to appreciate true software without being negatively influenced by FSF propaganda.
>>1
Microsoft would rather buy ACTIVISION
>>19
A monopoly is weaker than an oligopoly. They're protecting themselves by not buying each other.