Why not just duplicate vatsim with independent GPL programming?
On Mon, 12 Jun 2006 5:52 pm, Arnt Karlsen wrote: > On Mon, 12 Jun 2006 14:39:40 -0500, Curtis wrote in message > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > >> Martin Spott wrote: >> >> >Ok, in theory having a closed source interface _might_ serve the >> >licensing issues, _but_: >> > - Who likes to have to use a closed source module in order to >> > connect their OpenSource flight simulation to VATSIM ? >> > >> >> Does the bridge module between flightgear and vatsim need to be closed >> source? Or just non-GPL? My assumption is that all the closed source >> vatsim magic happens in a proprietary library? > > ..this is the story we are being told, AFAIUI. > >> We would link our application to this library. Am I wrong on this? >> Our application may not then be licensable under the gpl, but we could >> still make our portion of the code open and available. > > ..only one problem: Would any of us need to sign their NDA and > risk litigation? They may be nice now, but bad guys can easily grind > them flat in court, to get at us. At Groklaw, we have seen at least 2 > Canopy people die in suspect "suicidings", I'm guessing because they > learned something important. Just how powerful the GPL and copyright > law is, is best shown in how the GPL moots such "suicide" schemes for > people like us, Samba.org, Red Hat, IBM, who all hides under the GPL. > >> > - More important, who of the OpenSource developers likes to maintain >> > a closed source module, compile it at least for half a dozend >> > different platforms and play the lonesome cowboy to whom bug >> > reports will be adressed - without having any chance to share the >> > load with someone else ? > > ..maybe Vatsim staff? If they hire somebody to write it under the GPL, > they will own it too, and get "street" credibility here, talk is cheap, > but action talks loud. Either way. > >> Hmmm, this is dependent on the answer to your first point. Does the >> vatsim app have to be closed source, or is the vatsim app that >> we/someone creates simply an app that has to link to a non-gpl, >> proprietary library? > > ..neither. Let's go dance the good old proven Samba way. > >> > - Most important, who of the OpenSource developers likes to take the >> > risk of getting sued for license infringement because VATSIM >> > might claim he could have transferred source code from the closed >> > source interface to FlightGear ? >> >> Well I think it's clear that the vatsim folks are more than happy to > > ..sure. Let's make it beneficial for both parties. > >> work with us if we are willing to meet them on their terms. > > ..these are negotiable. Let's see if we can talk them into GPL it > all, > both Red Hat and IBM makes good money on their GPL business. > > ..I see _no_ reason why Vatsim, the X-plane guys etc should'nt be able > to do likewise. > >> If we develop a friendly cooperative relationship with them instead of >> an adversarial relationship, and if we follow their procedures and >> guidelines, why would there be a risk of being sued? > > ..in the ideal world, there isn't. IRL, there is, and the easiest way > to get at us (FG), is thru allegations of "IP" infringement, and the > best way is thru people like Vatsim, who are _much_ easier to screw > by litigation or by buying their debts and hike their loan etc expenses > up really high, etc, "if they don't wanna play ballmer games." > > ..you basically needs to be Microsoft, the SCO Group or North Korea to > not be able to profit from the GPL. > > -- > ..med vennlig hilsen = with Kind Regards from Arnt... ;o) > ...with a number of polar bear hunters in his ancestry... > Scenarios always come in sets of three: > best case, worst case, and just in case. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Flightgear-devel mailing list > Flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-devel Bush's family and their Saudi partners make higher profits by preventing Saddam's huge Iraqi oil reserves from ever being sold. They'll Enron the world - George Watson 2001 For Hurricanes www.globalboiling.com For solar wind and earthquakes www.electricquakes.com Typos caused by two inch mobile phone keyboard _______________________________________________ Flightgear-devel mailing list Flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-devel
