@BrodieOnLinux Yes, Ballmer didn't hesitate to use proprietary tricks in public announcements.

If Ballmer mentioned the GNU General Public License version 2 (GPLv2), then there would be a chance of many people learning that GNU exists and then the game over sequence would start - so Ballmer referred to the GPLv2 as "Linux".

"intellectual property" is yet another proprietary trick: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/not-ipr.html


The GPLv2 and other copyleft licenses are not viral, as they don't "infect" unrelated files on the filesystem.

The GPLv2 is like a spider plant - if you choose to take a piece, it will grow.