MJ Ray writes: > Not really. We don't have cost-free publication, so it's a cost to be > paid by the hosting user and so obviously any software requiring > publication is not free software. Even worse, if it has to be > published as long as the software is used, it's a near-unlimited cost. Perhaps you're new here? I've requested that people not use "free" on this list to reduce confusion. Instead, use ''gratis'' and ''libre'', whose meaning is obvious in English, and literal in other latin-derived languages. We don't have cost-free publication of binaries either, so obviously any software published in binary form is not gratis software. But we don't give a whit about gratis software. It's libre software we care about. And what could be MORE freeing than being able to get the source of code even if you haven't gotten the binary? Remember: it's not about freedom for the developer. It's about freedom for the user of the software. The power relationship granted by copyright law gives all the freedoms to the developer. Free software is about the user insisting that the developer give up some freedom -- in this case the freedom to hold back source code even from people who haven't gotten the binary. In exchange the user can, and is expected to, help the developer create the software. If there were no benefits and only pain, who would be eager to write open source software? And yet everyone[1] is, so there must be a light under that bushel. [1] Even Microsoft. Even Adobe. > The cost of publication is limited to the number of potential users, > but that means you can't use Affero GPLv3 software for a public > service unless you're prepared to pay for an unlimited number of > copies. Bittorrent allows you to control the cost of that copying, however. Buy hosting that allows X megabytes of download per day (which, for a small value of X, is extremely cheap), then configure bittorrent to stay under X. That doesn't limit the number of copies (which I think you would agree is improper), but it limits your cost. -- --my blog is at http://blog.russnelson.com | Software that needs Crynwr sells support for free software | PGPok | documentation is software 521 Pleasant Valley Rd. | +1 315-323-1241 | that needs repair. Potsdam, NY 13676-3213 | Sheepdog |