[Openstreetmap] Re: OSM License and debian

Lars Aronsson lars at aronsson.se
Thu May 26 02:25:32 BST 2005


Petter Reinholdtsen wrote:
> [Alex Willmer]
> > 2. Viral (ie GPL/Sharealike)
> 
> Your use of 'viral' here indicate a certain bias.
> 
> The work viral indicate the danger of becoming "infected" without a

No, Petter, there is no bias left in the term.  "Viral" comes from 
the term "viral marketing", which is of course derived from virus 
and infection, but in marketing this term is used in a technical, 
value-neutral way.  From a marketer's perspective, it is a good 
effect that a trademark or idea is communicated from one 
individual to the next.  A synonymous term is "cascade effect". 

Richard Stallman, in designing the GPL, is a skilled marketer.


-- 
  Lars Aronsson (lars at aronsson.se)
  Aronsson Datateknik - http://aronsson.se




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