[OSX-Users] Re: Apple purging GPL?

[Chris Andrews]

On 29 Aug 2012, at 19:39, Philip Boulain <prb at ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:

> On 29/08/2012 15:40, Luke Teacy wrote:
>> There are two big changes in GPL v3. The first is that it explicitly prohibits patent lawsuits against people for actually using the GPL-licensed software you ship. The second is that it carefully prevents TiVoization, locking down hardware so that people can’t actually run the software they want.
>> So, which of those things are they planning for OS X, eh?
> 
> Both? Apple love them some patent lawsuits, and Apple love them some App Stores. It's not surprising that they'd want to keep their options open to finish turning OS X into iOS some day, even if they consider it unlikely.

I'll go with TiVoisation. They don't sue that many people over laptops and desktops.

>> I’m also intrigued to see how far they are prepared to go with this. They already annoyed and inconvenienced a lot of people with the Samba and GCC removal.
> 
> Hunh. So what's providing Windows network share compatability on modern OS X, then?

I *think* Apple custom-rolled an SMB implementation.

>> shipping obsolete tools and making it a pain in the ass to upgrade them?
> 
> Well, Apple don't need any help there. The package manager for open source software on Mac is...Fink? No, wait, MacPorts. No, wait, Homebrew. Which one's maintained this year? Who knows, but for God's sake don't mix them.

MacPorts was started by some Apple engineers, the other two are purely community things - and they're all allegedly still maintained, according to a quick Wiki search. That's not to say anyone should actually *use* any of them - I even once compiled ffmpeg and dependencies from source to avoid a MacPorts install. 

Chris