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> As do the BSD and especially(?) the Apache Software License.

Nope. As a user of a closed source program built on top of BSD or ASL license I certainly don't have the rights I would have had if the bottom layers were GPL. BSD, ASL allows the programmer to (type) cast away the freedoms, they can inherit in private, enjoying the benefits but giving nothing back.




>>> GPL works well to protect the freedom of its users.

>> As do the BSD and especially(?) the Apache Software License.

> Nope. As a user of a closed source program built on top of BSD or ASL license...

Bam. Got you. You, and the Mac users mentioned in the other comment weren't using open source software.

Users of the original software are still protected.

> I certainly don't have the rights I would have had if the bottom layers were GPL.

You wouldn't anyway. They'd just use something else.


Precisely my point, BSD or ASL allows one to inherit free but make the final product non-free. The end user (incidentally, also the original author) gets cut out of it.




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