Re: [Nel] Congratulations + concerns

[Debian User]

* Michael Warnock <address@hidden> [010701 09:48]:
> 6/30/2001 3:51:13 PM, address@hidden wrote:
> 
> >
> >Mensaje citado por: Michael Warnock <address@hidden>:
> >

> >> legally use gpl'ed code in your own, unreleased programs- and why should
> >> we release the server side code?
> >
> >I would love that you reply to this answer to me and to Nel guys that are so 
> >hard working on such a good project.
> >
> We're quite grateful to them- we've even had them over to our place in san 
> francisco, but it just so happens that they are also at work on a lot of nel 
> based code that they have not released- and they are by no means required to- 
> it is only in the event of distributing binaries that you must distribute 
> source.
> 
> >IMO In the same moment that you make public your server you are making it 
> >public 
> >and you should release it. But I am not a lawyer.
> >


My understanding of the GPL is that your do not have to give source code
if you do not "give" binary. This is a concern to Mr Stallman because
of the comming Application Services Providers (or that kind of Three Letters
 Acronym). This should be fixed with the upcoming v 3 of the GPL.

Neither Am I A L., but for the rules parts, my 2 euros :
the reverse engineering part is not that relevent because you could
apply to any computer prog. I know that people fitted archmage models in
matlab, but with LARGE rule sets, I don't think it's realistic.
I think it could be possible to use propritery code with GPL code 
using a LGLP 'hook' layer. But I'm not sure...

To be on thesafe side, GPL and non-GPL code should not be in the same 
adress-space (ie CORBA).You have to pay an efficiency penalty to keep your code
non-GPL and that's the intended behaviour IMHO.

For thoses who think GPL is worthless ("a joke") because you can steal / use
the code anyway, I think you are missing the point. What matter is not the
software (state of CVS at time t), but the ongoing project. That's why
there are VERY few forks on GPL land. Use the code and it's ok, the project
is working for you. Take the code, change it, and then YOU have to handle
all the evolution, or keep track of changes (what if they are not compatible
with yours ?). You can certainly catch-up very easly with a GPL project, and
it's R&D is available for everyone to use (great karma IMHO), but the
power of the successful GPL project is not in the code, but in the community
behind it. (Of course, both are linked, hard to attract people with ugly code)

I really hope that NeL will build such a dedicated and helpful community.
(Code quality is there IMHO, for network design etc, I'not qualified...)

Bernard