[Wisconsin]

Hmmm.

The issue here is whether government developed software shuld be issued under the General Public License ( you have to let others use it) or can be made proprietary.

I gather you think that having the gevernment research something with tax dollars, and then release the research to a private company, which sells it to you is OK?

The issue is not commercial software/open source-free software per se, but whether government developed software should be put into the public domain or be privatized.

[cryptical]

The GPL is viral, it infects any code that you build on top of GPL'd code. I think the BSD license is better in this case, because if someone wants to start from government research, and add functionality, why shouldn't they be paid for their work?

Remember, RMS is a socialist.

[Mr. K]

GOVERNMENT DEVELOPED software? You want software from the same people who bring you, oh, say.. the Auto Bureau?

The software developed for the govt is no different than any other software- If I build some code for company A and then (with no objection from company A) sell it to company B, then what is the problem? It is done all the time. Some one built the first of anything.