Praveen Arimbrathodiyil blogs here

Read feature in KernelTrap  No More Free BitKeeper

So that is the end of BitKeeper in Linux Kernel development. This really highlights the evils of proprietory softwares. The user is dominated by the authors — they don’t have any freedom. In this case they just terminated the free version because they found it no more effective. The user is nowhere in picture and profit is the only motive.

They even restricted development of similar softwares by those use BK, considering they were not invented the source management system. And reverse engineering is perfectly legal and you cannot force anyone not to do it.
The European Software Directive (adopted by the UK in 1992) gives users the freedom to copy, run, modify, and reverse-engineer lawfully acquired programs.
Some interesting points about software users rights

So Microsoft puts a “license” on all of its software and pretends that you don’t have the right to use the software unless you agree to the “license.” You can’t patch Windows without their permission, according to the license; you can’t use NT Workstation for more than 10 simultaneous connections; you must give Microsoft your first-born son. (Or something like that.)

The problem with Microsoft’s license is that it’s unenforceable. You can simply ignore it. Microsoft can’t win a copyright infringement lawsuit: you own the software that Microsoft sold you, and Congress gave you the right to use it.

This is why we say all non-free software are bad for whatever purpose it is used even for the linux kernel development itself. The choice is betweeen convenience or practical use and freedom. This much growth of the Free Software from 1984 when GNU project started proves that there will be completely free softwares for every application. Ofcourse there are challenges like software patents and hardware manufacturers refusing to give enough details to write free software to run on… So we should all be aware of the importance of free dom and don’t take it for granted.

See the long thread of dicussons about BK and other similar issues in blug-non-tech forum thread and message

Now back to Kerneltrap discussions
One comment goes like this

I just realized that Open Source / Free Software is going to be an even bigger revolution in computer science that I previously thought. Reading through these messages and seeing how working in os/fs projects affects developer’s minds, makes me realize that Linux is not a normal Operating System. There will be no Photoshop for Linux, nor Microsoft Word. And that is not a weakness, that’s a strength. Because I’ve just realized that this movement (I think I can call it that) is going to build each and every tool they need and eventually completely replace proprietary software. No wonder the patent laws are being so forced upon the E.U., they know they’re in deep shit, and their only escape is by prohibiting us from reimplementing their ideas in os/fs.

And someone replied like this

Oh, you”ve finally woken up

It’s called Free Software Movement and it dates back to 1983-1984 ))))))))

Note: Thank you Atul for helping me to correct a terrible spelling mistake.