Re: Matlab compiled mex files in octave

[Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso]

On 20 February 2013 10:47, Henry Gomersall <address@hidden> wrote:
> On Wed, 2013-02-20 at 10:10 -0500, Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso wrote:
>> On 20 February 2013 10:06, Henry Gomersall <address@hidden> wrote:
>> > On Wed, 2013-02-20 at 09:22 -0500, Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso wrote:
>> >> This is also violates Octave's copyright. Please take down this
>> blog
>> >> post. Instead, pressure the authors of the library to release
>> source,
>> >> since you cannot use this library in Octave without it.
>> >
>> > *sigh* No, I will not remove the blog post.
>>
>> Please do so. I do not want this to get unpleasant.
>
> Is that a threat?

No. Just a plea to try to help you cooperate with free software
development.

> While we're on causes, I think individuals that publish to the web
> have a duty to maintain stability of links.

In that case, please replace your blog post with an explanation of the
underlying issues.

> The issue of individuals being bullied into kowtowing through
> tenuous legal arguments by copyright holders goes well beyond free
> software, and IMO is a much bigger issue.

It isn't bullying, not unless you work very hard to link non-free
software with Octave. GPL enforcement is a last resort, when all
diplomacy has failed. I very much want to avoid that.

> It may not surprise you to know that I disagree with you regarding
> free software as an exclusive cause. I think free software is
> fantastic, and in many instances, by far the best way to develop
> software.

We don't work on free software because it's a good software
development model, but because it's a good ethical model.

> That said, sometimes one has a job to do and the world is bigger
> than software.

But while we're working on software, we strive towards free software.
When we work on goals completely unrelated to software, free software
is also irrelevant.

> Out of interest, is _all_ the code you write free software?

Yes, I do not write non-free software. I'm a very practical guy, and I
want to ensure that my code remains free for me and for everyone else
I work with.

Please focus your attention on the actual problem: there is a mex
library out there without source that you would like to use with
Octave. In order to do so in generality, you need source, so you can
exercise the freedom to recompile it and make it work with Octave, on
all platforms and operating systems. Your binary hacks are a needless
nuisance that you should not tolerate. You deserve source code, so
demand it.

- Jordi G. H.