Re: Questions

[Richard Stallman <rms gnu org>]

    My problem with the GPL is that it often may, to use your words, result 
    in the "tail wagging the dog".  If I (want to) use a routine that is under 
    the GPL in a program otherwise not under the GPL, even though I'd be 
    perfectly happy to make available any/all changes to that routine or any 
    GPL'ed code I use, the entire work, which may be much larger than the 
    code that would be used, becomes covered by the GPL.

That is not exactly what happens.  You can release your code under the
X11 license if you wish.  The combination, when used as a combination,
is covered as a whole by the GPL because one part of it is.  Your
part, when used in isolation, is covered only by the license you
chose for it.

So if your wish is to use the X11 license for your code, you can do
that.  What you cannot do is put our code under the X11 license.

The GPL is very effective in serving the GNU Project's goal: spreading
the freedom to share and change software, and preventing anyone from
taking that freedom away from others.  Of course, nothing works
perfectly; occasionally we pay a price.  In most cases the benefit for
freedom is well worth the price.  Occasionally it is not, and then we
use another license.