Hello Charlie,
I agree: everyone needs to eat! mardi 5 novembre 2002 � 12:28:51, you wrote : CB> On Sun, 3 Nov 2002, Dub Dublin wrote: >> Seriously, though, this is a pretty dysfunctional open source >> development community. If Mitel wants to develop SME in secret and then >> release it when it's done, that's their perogative, and I'd be the last >> to stand in their way. The problem is that there is also this thing >> (devinfo) that exists with the pretense of being an open development >> forum, when it is not. CB> There is a basic misunderstanding here. The SME server platform is not and CB> never has been developed by the devinfo community. The SME server platform CB> is developed by and published by Mitel Networks, as part of its business CB> plan to sell additional products and services. The software has also been CB> released as GPL software, which has allowed you to use, modify and CB> distribute it. CB> Since the platform is deliberately open and flexible, you can also develop CB> complementary software, as many have. CB> Although we plan and execute our plan to develop this software platform CB> according to our needs, we are delighted to receive any contributions of CB> bug fixes and feature additions. In practice, the number of such CB> contributions happens to be small. CB> Because the software is published with a GPL license, you are free to CB> extend it in any way that you see fit. If it is broken(*), or you perceive CB> it to be broken, you can fix it. Or you can ask someone else to fix it for CB> you. Or you can pay someone else to fix it for you. CB> [(*) Please tell us if you think something is broken, but understand that CB> we will not promise to fix it for you.] >> The difficulty of developing meaningful and useful, "easiliy integrated" >> add-ons to fit a secret, moving target of a product have already been >> mentioned. CB> This difficulty has been stated, but not demonstrated. Version 5.5 of the CB> software (for example) is neither secret nor moving, so there is no such CB> impediment to developing meaningful and useful add-ons for it. CB> As Gordon has said, the number of incompatible changes from version to CB> version is small - we deliberately make it so. If you wish to make an CB> add-on, but don't wish to deal with differences from version to version, CB> don't. Construct your add-on for a particular version, publish it under CB> the GPL license, and invite others to port to different versions if they CB> wish. CB> In other words, differences from version to version is only *your* problem CB> if *you* make it so. Don't use it as an excuse to do nothing. >> One of the real sticking areas is that the community really are just >> glorified guinea pigs - there is almost no way that the community *can* >> seriously contribute, as your own comment about the predominance of >> Mitel-developed code attests. CB> Mitel places no constraints on what the devinfo community can do, other CB> than that Mitel alone decides what software Mitel releases and when they CB> do so. Other community members can release whatever software they wish at CB> any time - moreover Mitel will help them do so by providing ftp resources CB> (within reason), and by providing this mailing list to allow them to CB> contact other members. Individual Mitel staff may provide technical advice CB> if and when they choose to. CB> Just as Mitel decides what software they will release and when they will CB> release it; every other member of this community does the same. >> Today, leveraging SME as a platform appears to be something Mitel wishes >> to reserve for itself. CB> You and I both know that quite a number of businesses are leveraging SME CB> as a platform. We do not and cannot stop them from doing so, nor would we CB> want to, just so long as they comply with the license conditions. CB> Above all else, remember that this is a business for Mitel. Times are CB> hard. Mitel makes decisions based on what is seen as being in Mitel's best CB> economic interest. Mitel doesn't make your decisions for you, but Mitel CB> does make its own decisions. That will not change. CB> Now, please, everybody, stop complaining about what Mitel is doing and is CB> not doing. Frankly, it's none of your business. CB> If you wish to lurk here, lurk. If you wish to develop, develop. If you CB> wish to contribute, contribute. If you are already contributing, please CB> continue to do so. If you would like help designing or debugging your CB> code, ask for it here. If you want collaborators on a project, invite them CB> here. If you have free software to announce, please announce it here. -- Regards, Haj [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Please report bugs to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] (only) to discuss security issues Support for registered customers and partners to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Searchable archive at http://www.mail-archive.com/devinfo%40lists.e-smith.org
