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I am also against warfare but if Linux (or OSS in general) helps to enhance the security and realiability of weapons so that they don't kill civil people accidently then it's ok. It's not Linux or GPL what makes things good or bad - it's the people who use it.

If you wan't GPL to be non-violent then you also have to forbid GPL usage in embedded systems, because air planes, cars etc. also can kill people.

And don't forget that Linux users normally pay back to the community. Look at SE-Linux, or SE-Android, for example.



Weapons always kill civilians.

My point is that if it can be used to kill a person, then I am not fussed. The fact that it is intended to kill people, then I am fussed.

A car is not inherently designed to kill people. A drone is.


A drone is designed for un-manned flight, nothing more or less. Sure you can strap weapons to it and use it to make it easier to kill people, but you can do the same with a car. But you can also strap cameras and sensors to a drone and use them to do neat science (like these people: http://espo.nasa.gov/missions/hs3/)


That's splitting hairs.

A military drone is either intended to:

1. Blow people up or shoot them.

2. Find out who to blow up or shoot.

People don't drive cars around like that other than the military (therefore point demonstrated) and mad max...


UAVs are a tool just like any other: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle#Uses

Some of them are used for war, but not all. I'm assuming the companies that make "good" drones also make military drones.


Please don't misunderstand me: Weapons are bad. But if we can't avoid them then it is better to use the best option to make bad things a little better.


That's a fair point. I'll give you that.




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