Comment 70 for bug 44335

Jean-Yves,

I, for one, really really like mail-notification and I deeply respect the work that you have put into it. Yet I'm here, unable to use this free piece of software, while the author is explicitely refusing to do anything constructive to change the users' situation, including making a tiny license change that would make everyone happy and wouldn't hurt anyone, at least as far as my viewpoint is concerned.

Personally, I think you, as the author, have every right to refuse to help. But you're not only refusing to help, you're at the same time discouraging others from helping themselves. If this is the case, why did you choose the GPL in the first place? The GPL is all about the users' ability to help themselves if need be. This is such a situation.

Do you want Ubuntu to distribute a version of mail-notification that you have reviewed for bugs and can proudly put your name on? You could effect this easily by either blessing or, better yet, merging the port to GNUTLS or by changing the license. If you don't want to do either, that's fine, but in this case, why do you complain about someone actually making use of the freedom that your chosen license grants for the exact purpose that is being considered here?