Subject: Re: Yggdrasil and LDP
From: [email-masked] (Matt Welsh)
To: Linux Documentation Project writers <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 1995 20:23:04 EDT

Greenfie <[email-masked]> writes:
> Matt, if I recall in addition to writing the I&GS "free" manual, you also
> have a more traditional published book with a more traditional copyright,
> correct?  Did you choose the copyright scheme because of pressure from the
> publisher?  

No, it was understood from that start that this would be the case. I didn't
think that the O'Reilly book needed to be "free", especially since I
planned to keep the I&GS up-to-date.

> After all, I assume (and hope!) that you're getting royalties,
> which is exactly what Yggdrasil is offering, in exchange for changing a
> copyright to be more in line with their policy as a company.

That is one way of looking at it. However, my own dealings with
Yggdrasil and RMS have made me sour about the issue; they seem to
be "bullying" us into changing our copyrights, and this is the latest
move on their part. 

> I was never overly happy with the copyright scheme.  I probably will change
> mine.  Will it be specifically because of this?  Well, no, but this will
> make me take some sort of action.  (Not to mention I hope to have a new
> version out in August.  I may as well put a new copyright on it by then.)

I think it's important to stand up for what you believe in. I happen
to believe in vendors who don't bully the volunteers around while holding
money over their heads. Then again, I don't depend on Yggdrasil's
donation. It's nice to have, yes, but it doesn't change my standard of
living! :)

I'm almost at the point where I'd refuse to change the copyright on
principle---if we allow people like Yggdrasil to tell us how we should
be licensing our books, what next? Will they require us to include
Yggdrasil-specific information, or plugs for their product? They 
never "negotiated" a "contract" with us. They're treating us like
pets, in a way, holding a treat over us so we'll jump through hoops.
I think we deserve more respect than that, and Yggdrasil does not
respect our position. 

mdw