
Originally Posted by
binarysoup
There's no forcing involved, there is a set of conditions for using code, if you want to use that code you abide with the conditions or you don't use the code, that's true for all licenced code. You may have your preference regarding conditions but that doesn't mean you get the right to decide what conditions other people set for THEIR code, I defend the right for a developer to say 'here is my code, if you want to use it you need to licence your code under the same or a compatible licence'.
Now if you want to use or not use that code is entirely up to you, and if you don't want to (which typically is in order to cater for proprietary needs, as otherwise you can still keep _your_ part of project's code permissive) then that just means that you'll have to look for other code or write your own. No developer owes you free code written in your particular preferred licence, you come across as feeling 'entitled' to me in this discussion.
Well obviously either your project is compatible with GPL or you can't use GPL licenced code.
As for why GPL has more conditions than permissive licencing, it's because GPL was crafted to protect 'end user rights', which includes the right to the source code, the right to make any number of copies and hand them out to anyone, the right to modify, build, run and distribute modified versions. The only way the preserve those rights for downstream end users is of course to make them conditions of the licence.
Now it's perfectly fine if you don't like these conditions, GPL licenced code is just an option, no-one is forcing you to use GPL-licenced code. If you do however, as with all licences, you are bound by it's conditions, conditions which were placed there by the owner of the actual code in question, as is their right, just as it's your right to licence YOUR code any way you please.
I think copyleft (GPL, LGPL, CDDL, etc) and permissive (MIT, BSD etc) all have their strengths and weaknesses and it's up to the code owner to decide which licence best adhere to their values/expectations, and I see no reason to second-guess their choices.
Again, no developer owes you free code provided under YOUR preferred licence, if you come across such code then by thankful, but to expect it or practically demand it makes you a little more than a douche bag.