我选择GPL的五个理由

Why I (A/L)GPL (by Zed Shaw)我选择GPL的五个理由
- 作者Zed Shaw，(版权所有)
- 原始链接：http://zedshaw.com/blog/2009-07-13.html
- 翻译FangQ (http://wenq.org/)


1. It’s The Author’s Right (选择什么授权永远是作者的权力)
2. I Don’t Want To Be Ignored Again (我不愿意再次被忽略)
3. Venture Capital Changed The Industry (风险投资改变了软件产业)
4. Programmers Are Plagiarists (很多程序员只会抄袭)
5. If It’s Good, Pay For It (如果真的是对你有用，为什么不可以花钱买)

In the Python world the GPL is frequently frowned on, with most people preferring to use a more permissive license such as BSD, MIT, or Python’s. It’s understandable then when people get angry because I’ve licensed Lamson under the GPL. Many people just hate the license, since they feel it goes contrary to the spirit of Python.
在Python的圈子里，GPL是一个经常被诟病的授权，很多人似乎更喜欢宽松一点的BSD授权、MIT授权或者Python授权协议。于是我将Lamson软件以GPL的方式发布惹怒了一些人也是完全在意料之中的。没有办法，这些人就是憎恨GPL，因为他们认为它与Python的理念是抵触的。

However, I’d like to explain why I use the GPL after decades of writing open source software and after a couple of “successful” projects. These are my reasons for using it, and only apply to me and what I want to do with my software from now on. You are free to your own opinions and choices, and I hope you’ll respect mine.
可是，我这里还是想为自己作一些辩解，我希望解释为什么愿意将自己的开源软件选择GPL授权。当然，所有这些理由都只是对我个人而言。你完全有作你自己选择的自由，但我希望你对我的选择也给予尊重。



1. It’s The Author’s Right (选择什么授权永远是作者的权力)
I believe that whatever the author wants to do with his or her works is their right. They wrote it, despite everyone telling them it wouldn’t work. They slaved over it rather than going out with friends. They debugged it, and wrote documentation for it so everyone else could use it. They may have even spent a part of their time promoting it and helping people with it. All for free, and for whatever reason they choose.
我相信，无论作者为自己的工作选择什么样的授权，这将永远是他们的权力。他们创造了这个软件，尽管周围不断有人告诉他们这样做不会成功；他们选择了辛勤劳作，而没有与朋友一起消遣时光；他们费尽心力来调试它，并且不辞劳苦地书写文档，以方便别人使用；或许他们还花费了不少宝贵时光来推广他们的软件，并帮助别人来使用它。无论以什么样的目的，所有所有的这一切，他们没有向你作任何的索取。


When you rip on a project or someone for their choice of license you are being gigantic jerk. They worked on it, not you. At a minimum you’re insulting someone’s belief in open source and free software, and how they feel it should progress in our culture.
当你对这些软件作者的选择指手划脚，甚至出言不逊的时候，你已经彻底地成为了一个让人捣胃口的讨厌鬼。是他们，而不是你，付出了这些劳动。从小里说，你也至少是在侮辱别人对自由和开源软件的信仰，以及他们对这种文化发展的个人理解。


At the worst you are being ungrateful turds because someone is giving you a piece of software, but you insult their work not on its technical merits, but on a license file you disagree with.
说得再严重一点，你的行为是非常尖损刻薄而且不光采。你从别人那里不费吹灰之力获得了有用的软件，你不但提不出任何技术性质的见解和批评，却单单拿一个授权来挑刺。


I really don’t care what license people use on their software, it’s their software and bitching at them for the license they choose is offensive. They wrote it, put their blood and sweat into it, and you should be glad that you get the privilege of even seeing it.
说实在的，我对别人用什么授权一点也不关心，因为这完全是人家自己的权力，对他们的选择指手划脚就是对他们的冒犯。他们花了时间、付出了自己的心血和汗水，哪怕他们让你看一眼也是他们给予你的特权，你应该庆幸。



That’s my first reason I use the GPL:
这就是我选择GPL的第一点理由：

Because I want to, and if you disagree with it then don’t use my software. It’s as simple as that.
我就是愿意，如果你不喜欢你可以不用，没有比这个更简单的理由了。




2. I Don’t Want To Be Ignored Again (我不愿意再次被忽略)

I wrote Mongrel and then gave it away, on the hopes that it would help a bunch of other people, and that giving it away would come back to me in some way. Maybe a job, or some respect, or hell maybe my own company doing more software like it.
我写了Mongrel并且把它慷慨地提供给别人，希望能够对很多人有用处，冥冥中也希望这种付出能够在将来某个时候能够对我的人生有一个积极的回馈。或许是一个新的工作、或许是一点尊敬，或者能够有机会建立自己的公司并多创造一些类似的软件。


Mongrel was a wild success, and lots and lots of companies are making lots and lots of money off it. It not only powered Rails, but nearly every Ruby web framework, other Ruby web servers, and was even ported to other languages. Mongrel is and was a super project and I’m really proud of it.
  Mongrel一夜成名了，被无数公司采用，成了他们赚钱的机器。它不但成为Rails的重要组件，而且在Ruby网络构架或者Ruby网络服务中也不可或缺，甚至被翻译成其他多种语言。可以说Mongrel是我目前为止深为自豪的一个项目。


Let me give you an idea of how advanced Mongrel was. Remember the “new” attack on Apache called Slowloris that was recently released? I actually predicted that attack, and wrote Mongrel so that it was resistant (as much as Ruby could let me). I called it the “trickle attack” and even demonstrated it. That was in 2004. Five years ago. I even added it as an attack to RFuzz in 2005.
让我再来对Mongrel的先进性多说几句。你们还记得Apache最近发布的一个叫做Slowloris的“新”攻击吗？其实很早我就预见到了这种攻击，Mongrel就是我写的对抗构架(在Ruby力所能及的范围内)。我当时把这种进攻叫做"trickle attack"，甚至还当众演示过。那是2004年的事情了；我甚至在2005年把它作为一种攻击形式添加到RFuzz库中。


Sadly, none of Mongrel’s success mattered for me. Even though everyone was using my software, the vast majority of firms using Mongrel were startups. The last thing a startup wants to admit is that they don’t own their intellectual property. They want everyone, especially the VCs and investors, to believe that they’re all geniuses who “innovated” everything they run.
让人难过的是，Mongrel的成功似乎成了一个与我完全无关的结果。尽管人人都在用我的软件，但他们当中大多数使用者却都是那些刚起步的小公司。而这些小公司们最不愿意做的一件事情就是承认他们用了别人的东西。他们希望所有的人，特别是那些风险投资者和发明人，都来承认他们是拥有全部创新的天才。


When I looked around, companies had no problem admitting they used Ruby on Rails, hell that probably got them their funding. What I didn’t see was them saying they used anything else, which meant that when I would try to get work, it was impossible for me to explain the magnitude of Mongrel’s impact. To them it was just some simple web server that their system administrator had to use, “RoR” was the real money maker.
当我环顾四方，每个公司都乐意承认他们用了Ruby on Rails，那是因为他们或许以此获得了经费。而除此以外，他们不会承认用到任何其他的东西。而这样的结果就是，当我不得以去重新寻找工作的时候，我根本没有办法向别人来介绍我创造的Mongrel的影响力。对与他们来说，这只是一个他们系统管理员不得不使用的一个简单的网络服务程序而已，“Ruby on rail”才是创造财富的东西，而不是其他。



This is my second reason I use the GPL:
这就是我选择GPL的第二点理由：

After Mongrel I almost need companies to have to admit they use my software. I would actually rather nobody use my software than be in a situation where everyone is using my gear and nobody is admitting it. 发布Mongrel之后我不得不坚持让使用它的公司们承认他们使用了我的软件。我宁愿没有人用我的软件，也不愿意看到大家都在用却没有一个人承认。


Or worse, everyone is using it, and at the same time saying I can’t code.
甚至更糟的情况也会发生，他们都在用我的软件而反过来诬蔑我连编程也不会。



3. Venture Capital Changed The Industry (风险投资改变了软件产业)
There has been a change in the software industry since about 2000. I’d put the mark at around Google’s IPO actually, but I can’t say exactly when. What I can say is that the current way technology companies are grown promotes an attitude of exploiting open source rather than contributing.
大概在2000年左右软件产业有了一些新的变化。真正的变化大概是Google成为一个上市公司开始，但我并不记得具体的时间。但我能够感觉到的是目前的这些技术行公司开始大规模地采用开源代码，而不在付出等同的努力来回馈。


I can’t really blame these companies though, they are designed to flip. A VC backed firm is almost always going to be setup for a short-term gain in the hopes of bringing a handsome return on investment later. For a VC, expecting a payout in 20 years is unheard of, especially if you plan on doing it without an IPO and stock options for everyone involved.
当然，对这些公司也没有什么好责备的，因为他们的运作方式就注定了这种情况的出现。一个依靠吸引风险投资的企业基本上从一开始就是以追逐短期利益为目的，并希望以此获取投资的回报。而那些投资公司，把投资获利的时间推迟到20年以后的公司也是闻所未闻的，特别是没有投资上市公司或者没有股票option的那种。


For a VC backed firm it is entirely about ever increasing revenues to give the illusion of growth so that shareholders will invest and drive the price of a stock as high as possible. It is not in their best interest to not do an IPO. They want money now, as much of it as possible, and they aren’t interested in good technology investments or people.
对这些依赖投资的企业来说，尽快获取收入并让持股人拥有一种企业利润增长的幻觉，并让股价居高不下才是第一要务。并不是说他们不希望尽早上市，他们目前最缺的是钱，越多越好。而对于最先进的技术或者高水平的员工，他们并没有兴趣。


What they want is tons of free technology they can hide from investors. They want that technology all run by people who didn’t write any of the software so that these employees can’t claim ownership later.
所以对他们而言，尽量使用免费的技术可以让他们挡住投资者的眼睛，而且他们尽量避免雇佣编写这些免费软件的作者，因为他们不希望今后他们来在版权上找麻烦。


This nearsighted management, combined with limited funding at the start, means that these companies exploit open source. They will use it, make their money, and then run off when they’re done. Which, actually, is totally alright, because that’s just how things are, and honestly if you’re a company looking to make money that way, then that’s what you should do.
这种短视的管理模式和有限的经费也就注定了这些公司会占开源软件的便宜。他们会毫不顾忌地拿来使用，为他们挣钱，然后在完成使命的时候弃如敝屣。当然，这么做也没什么错，因为这种公司就是这样运作的，或者说，如果他们希望赚钱他们就只能这样。


However, the unwritten contract between firms and open source developers is now gone. I have no reason to give them unrestricted use of my software since they are only interested in turning my software into a hot IPO 2-5 years from now. 
但是那种企业与开源软件作者之间那种默认的契约关系已经不复存在了。而我也再也找不到理由完全没有限制地让他们来使用我的软件，因为我清楚他们真正的目的只是想利用我的软件实现让公司上市的目的。



This is my third reason I use the GPL:
这就是我选择GPL的第三点理由：

Technology firms are now designed to be created and destroy fast for large VC profits while keeping costs low. That means they have no economic incentive to give back, so I have no social incentive to “give” them my software.
技术公司在短暂的生命周期中需要最大化利润和压低成本，这也意味者他们完全没有动机来回馈，所以，自然而然，我也不再有什么动力来把我的软件交给他们使用。



4. Programmers Are Plagiarists (很多程序员只会抄袭)

Let’s not kid ourselves here, everyone has to eat and pay rent. For many people, their money needs are modest, and if you work on something, you generally expect that you get something out of it that helps with those needs. It might not be money. Maybe it’s respect or accolades, but you really are expecting something for your work.
我们都不是小孩子了，每个人都得吃饭，都得为自己的帐单而奔波劳作。对于一些人来说，他们可能对钱的压力并不是那么大，但他们付出仍然期望会有一些回报，有时候需要的并不是钱，而是一种尊敬，但无论是什么，这一种回报的心态是很正常的。


Alright, then I find it bizarre when I run into a comment like this: 但是，当我看到诸如下面一样的留言之后总是觉得有些不舒服：


ericholscher @zedshaw Would be nice if the Django interface/code to Lamson was BSD’d. Really useful to use at work. REST interface works as well
ericholscher @zedshaw: 你要是把Lamson的Django界面发布成BSD的就太好了，这样对我的工作就帮大忙了。REST界面也行。


Eric is a totally nice guy, so I’m not slagging on him at all, but on this general attitude. “Hey your software is awesome! Can I get it for free so I can use it at work and make money or please my boss? That’d rock! (for me).
” 当然，Eric是一个很nice的人，我不愿意真得来批评他。但从一个局外人的角度来看，你是在说“你的软件太棒了！能不能免费给我，让我用在工作中赚钱或者让老板高兴一下？那就实在太好了！”


Honestly, how many of you people who use open source tell your boss what you’re using? How many of you tell investors that your entire operation is based on something one guy wrote in a few months? How many of you out there go to management and say, “Hey, you know there’s this guy Zed who wrote the software I’m using, why don’t we hire him as a consultant?”
说实话，用开源代码的人里面有多少会告诉他们的上司使用了开源软件？又有多少人会告诉你们的投资者你们的所有操作都建立在一个别人几个月完成的软件的基础上的？你们当中又有几个会找到你们的人事部门，对他们说“hey，我现在用的软件是一个叫做Zed的家伙写的，我们能不能让雇他来做顾问？”


You don’t. None of you. You take the software, and use it like Excalibur to slay your dragon and then take the credit for it. You don’t give out any credit, and in fact, I’ve ran into a vast majority of you who constantly try to say that I can’t code as a way of covering your ass.
我知道你们不会去这么做。你们只知道去拿来用，就像用魔剑的魔力屠龙之后把功劳都记在自己的名下一样。你不会承认任何别人做的事情。甚至我碰到的一些人还会用诋毁我不会编程的谎言来为自己剽窃别人的劳动找借口。


It’s now even more condoned and accepted that all you guys plagiarize the works you use. Just as the companies you work for need to have the illusion of “innovation”, you need to have the illusion of being smart. What this leads to is you lie, and steal anything you can get your hands on to claim as your own.
抄袭别人的就变成自己的已经似乎慢慢被大家接受了。就像那些创造“创新”幻觉的小公司一样，你也需要创造一种“你很聪明”的幻觉。而这样做的结果就是撒谎，并把所有自己可以染指的东西都偷到自己名下。


That’s quite alright, but that means you broke the unwritten contract between open source/freesoftware advocates. As long as you give me credit and promote my works, I’ll give you my software. Since none of you do, that means I have no incentive to “give” you my software in the same way I don’t need to abide by the contract with the VC backed firm.
你可以说这并没有什么大不了的，但这同时也就意味着你在失去对开源软件的支持。只要你承认并推广我的工作，我就会给你使用软件。因为你们之中没有人这样做，我不给你们用也就是天经地义的，因为你们的公司与我没有任何契约关系。


This is my fourth reason for using the GPL:
这就是我选择GPL的第四点理由：

I use the GPL to keep you honest. You now have to tell your bosses you’re using my gear. And it will scare the piss out of them. Good. Because I have a solution to that too.
我选用GPL是因为我希望你诚实。你不得不向你的上司解释你使用了我的东西，而或许会让他们吓得魂飞魄散。正好，因为他们可以来联系我寻找商业合作途径。



5. If It’s Good, Pay For It (如果真的是对你有用，为什么不可以花钱买)
I love working on Lamson because doing email applications are so much more fun that web applications. When I sit down to do an email app it takes only one set of technologies and I’m done. If I want to do a web application it involves design, and templates, and javascript, and databases, and endless streams of bullshit.
我喜欢为Lamson项目写些代码，因为写电子邮件方面的程序比网络服务更有趣味。当我坐下来写一个email程序的时候，需要的技术比较专一，而如果写网络程序，我不但需要设计页面、模板、javascript和数据库，而且还有很多其他乱七八糟的东西。


The other reason I love writing email software is nobody else does. You guys are all giant pansies, even with a project like Lamson you’re still all afwaid of big bad monsta SMTP. Hell, the day I said I might have “Mail over REST” you guys about shit your pants. Yeah, 'cause that’ll be way easier.
喜爱email软件的另外一个原因是做得人少。你们中的很多人都对SMTP有一种天生的畏惧，就连在Lamson这样的项目中对它也敬而远之。早些时候我说我或许会做一个Mail over REST，恐怕把那些人都已经吓傻了。就是这样，因为它可以让一切变得易如反掌。(FangQ:此处可能翻译不完全准确)


And I love giving Lamson away, because it’s a part of who I am. It’s that perfect mix of showmanship, technical chops, marketing, and writing that I love and excel at. Even if I eventually go on to make tons of money building things with Lamson, I’ll always keep Lamson free to keep myself honest.
我很高兴将Lamson项目双手拱人，因为这是我的性格使然。我所喜爱和擅长的就是一种调和在一起的表现欲、技术性、煽动力和写作。哪怕通过Lamson可以为我带来无穷的财富的可能，我也仍然乐意让它保持自由和免费，是因为我希望保持对自己的内心的一种诚实。


But, I am also writing my own software and projects with Lamson. I’m going to use it to create as many badass awesome email services as I can. Some free, some ad supported, some for pay, but all using Lamson in some way to kick ass at email.
但是，我并不拒绝自己利用Lamson的框架来写新的软件和项目。我会尽我所能写出最好的email服务软件来。可能有一些会免费，有一些会有用户支持，而另外一些需要付费，但所有这些都会基于Lamson所拥有的强大的email功能之上。


Now, given that there’s no incentive for a company to admit they use my stuff, and there’s no incentive for a programmer to give me credit, ask yourself this one question:
现在，因为我已经知道你们这些公司们不会承认用了我的东西，而且你们这些程序员也不会承认我的贡献，那就请你问自己这个问题：


Why the fuck wouldn’t I charge people money who can’t use the GPL?
凭什么我就*%$#@不能让那些不想开源的用户们付费呢？


I know, I know, many of you freesoftware diehards are thinking that makes me a traitor, but think about it. You have the software, and it’s GPLed, and as long as you’re a rock solid open source project who releases their code you are free to use it and do what you want with it.
不用说，我知道，很多开源界的资深老大认为这么做我已经背叛了开源信念，但我请你再重新思量一下。你手上已经有了我的软件，只不过它是GPL的，只要你按照GPL的规矩来发布衍生的作品，你就不会有任何麻烦，想做什么都可以。


I love open source, but companies? Companies are going to have to pay from now on. That’s how economics works. If it’s good enough for you to use, why then it’s good enough for you to pay for it.
我喜爱开源，但公司呢？从今往后公司们就得通过付费来使用。这就是经济规律。如果你觉得软件可以为你来做有用的事情，那为什么不就不可以花钱来购买它呢？


My fifth reason for using the GPL:
这就是我选择GPL的第五点理由：

I’ll always be an open source developer, but quite frankly, we’re dying off because the companies who use our software do not give back. The irony of the situation is that, in order to improve my motivation to do open source, I have to charge for it.
我将永远是一个开源贡献者，但诚实地说，我们这样的人只会越来越少，因为没有公司会给我们回馈。更有讽刺意义的是，要让我继续保持为开源贡献的创作热情，我就只有收费一条路。


I obviously won’t ever charge an open source project, since they are honoring the unwritten contract: If I give, you give.
我显然不会向开源软件的用户们收费，因为他们遵守了“你给与，我也给予”这样一条不成文的游戏规则。


But the days of quick-flip corporations and ingrate programmers making money on my software are over. My new motto is:
但那些背叛开源规则的公司和那些窃取我的软件来赚钱的程序员们的好日子已经结束了。我的新的座右铭已经改成：


Open source to open source, corporation to corporation. 
以开源回报开源，以商业(付费)对付商业(使用)


If you do open source, you’re my hero and I support you. If you’re a corporation, let’s talk business.
如果你也来开源，你就是我的英雄，我全力支持你。如果你想商业使用，那好，我们来谈商业授权。



Finally, Value (结束语：价值论)
In closing, I’d also like to give a small reason why I use the GPL: perceived value. When people can get something for free without having to think about it, they perceive it as worth less than even something they pay a single penny for. It’s just how people are, and there’s not much you can do about it.
作为结束语，我想再为选择GPL增加一个小理由，那就是感知价值。当人能够不用付出就可以获得他们想要得到的东西的时候，他们就认为这些东西就真的是一文不值的。这就是人的本性，没有办法改变。

My final reason for using the GPL is I think my projects have value, and I want people who use them to perceive that value in them. I think they are so valuable that I’m willing to put a complex untested legal document down as my bet to their utility. If I wanted it easy I would simple BSD license it and everyone would use it.
作为最后一个理由，我深信我所做的项目对一些人来说是有价值的，而且我希望这些人能够真正感觉到这种价值的存在。这种价值是如此的宝贵，甚至我愿意冒险用一个还没有被大把判例证实过的复杂授权(GPL)来保护它。如果只是为了贪图简单的话，我完全可以用BSD授权发布(，而不需要费这番周折)。


I want people to appreciate the work I’ve done and the value of what I’ve made.
我希望人们了解我所做的工作，并且真正感觉到它们存在的价值。


Not pass on by waving “sucker” as they drive their fancy cars.
永远不要看到那些开着豪华跑车的人从我身边驶过，冲我喊到“你这个失败的人！”。

觉得写得不错，所以转载了。希望更多的人可以了解GPL协议的意义。