Re: Fedora Freedom and linux-libre

[Andrew Haley <aph redhat com>]

Les Mikesell wrote:
> Alexandre Oliva wrote:

> 
>>> if competitors were allowed to use components from Linux in
>>> commercial offerings
>>
>> They are. 
> 
> Not in the general case. It would be unfeasible if not technically
> impossible to ship a Linux based OS containing licensed copies of all
> the components needed to match the functionality of commercial OS versions.

I don't believe it.  What on Earth is to stop anyone from shipping
a Linux based OS containing licensed copies of everything needed?
I suppose you might argue that device drivers with binary-only
licences are needed, but that's a bit of a stretch.  Anybody
can replace all of userland with proprietary licensed alternatives
if they wish.  It would be an odd thing to do, but certainly
neither unfeasible nor impossible.

Andrew.