and me, as a pacifist... [LWN.net]

and me, as a pacifist...

Posted Oct 31, 2002 11:29 UTC (Thu) by slat (guest, #7147)
Parent article: Study: free software in the U.S. Department of Defense

now heres a problem for me. As i don't belive in militant force as means to solve conflicts, and i try to work as hard as i can for openness and for peacefull, long lasting solutions to conflicts and conflicts to be. I still might end up with the military using my contributions to kill, or training to kill.
I work against a military intervention in Iraq, still, my contributions in GPL might end up helping the military carry through the assault. Now, this is mostly theoretically, I don't think they see much use in what i have done, still.. its disturbing.
As there are ethical funds, where the fund promises not to invest in companies that help produce arms (ericsson, saab, general electronics) maybe there should be an ethical gpl license alternative.. of cource, i have only to write it myself.
Argh, this is mostly distrubing anyway, i belive in the gpl as it is today, and i belive in non-violence. And I would be happier if ceratin scroupless companies wern't allowed to use the code.

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and me, as a pacifist...

Posted Oct 31, 2002 12:27 UTC (Thu) by brugolsky (✭ supporter ✭, #28) [Link]

A library full of licenses, all incompatible ...

Inevitably, one person thinks that nuclear power is abominable, and another thinks that it is the only way to prevent pollution.

One person thinks that the police of a particular state repress freedom; another thinks that they maintain order.

All that such licenses can do is dilute all efforts.

Face it, all technology can be used for good or ill, and there is a vast gray area which is neither or both.

Do you believe in militant force when you and your family are being held hostage in a theatre in Moscow? Should the Moscow police be allowed to use your software?

and me, as a pacifist...

Posted Oct 31, 2002 18:03 UTC (Thu) by rfunk (subscriber, #4054) [Link]

> Do you believe in militant force when you and your family are being held
> hostage in a theatre in Moscow? Should the Moscow police be allowed to use
> your software?

Not if they're going to gas me to death when they try to save me....

DOD and FOSS

Posted Nov 7, 2002 16:05 UTC (Thu) by whitleych (guest, #6866) [Link]

The results do not surprise me. Budgets are always tight for the military (at least at the local level). As for wondering if you want your software being used by the military, did you also ask yourself if you wished to use software improved by the military? Usually the path is in both directions. ARPA is a prime example..... I admit that it is a valid question however and one that only you can answer for yourself.

But try to remember things like the BSD license which precluded the use by South African police, circumstances change. Bad guys today may not be tomorrow. Some corporations may do more to damage the general population with less restriction than the U.S. military (environmental issues, unfair labor practices, etc). This is not indicating that the military is great, just that "any" large organization can have it's abuses and/or negative impact.
Regards
Cecil