Guillaume,
some inlined comments below:
We've developed certain parts of our product and given it under EPL
license. Furthermore, many other components are not our own but we've
spend a big effort in collaborating with their owners to improve,
enhance and make them more stable. We build added-value products on
top of these components. From these words, does it sound like I'm
stealing anyone?
I'm not saying you are stealing or things like this, but it sounds
like jOpenDocument is not based on collaboration and sharing,
which is simply not the case.
It wasn't my intention to transmit such idea. I don't question
jOpenDocument is not based in collaboration and sharing, but rather that
GPL license makes collaboration more difficult. And I not saying the GPL
license is not useful, but rather suggesting that sometimes it *might*
not be the right option. There is a license for each scenario. I totally
respect your decision, I was trying you to re-think the benefits of a
more liberal license.
Open source developers can use the library freely of course.
Companies cannot "rebuild the wheel" for 580 € (790 $), the price of
commercial licence,
(the cost of the development of jOpenDocument estimated by Ohloh is
480 000 $),
this small price give you the commercial licence you need AND support.
This scenario you describe is perfect if jOpenDocument fully suit the
needs of end users.
In not a lawyer, but from my point of view, how would paying a 580€
license help in my particular scenario? Does make it sense to pay and
not being capable of changing the code at all without going through the
GPL Derivative Work burden? And, in the hypothetical case that would be
possible, would I be paying to have permission to modify your code? Is
that called "encouraging collaboration and sharing"? And even more, if
some random open source developers spends a great effort in improving
jOpenDocument... would you be earning money from his work? How much more
ethical is that? And moreover, who would be the real author/owner of
jOpenDocument?
Furthermore, a full week of work from an engineer is worth more than
those 580€, so I think that anyone creating new features or bugfixings
for jOpenDocument is more worth than any license your could sell. It
wouldn't be fair asking for 580€ when your get in return 50.000€ in
returns from new features, enhacements, bugfixings and refactors.
As we mentioned on the website, the 580 € will be invested in
jOpenDocument development.
I see. So if some user wants a new feature, he will be paying 580€ for
it (assuming you'll accept the enhancement request). Is it really one
week of full work worth that? Why not just making it easier for
developers to do the work themselves instead of making them paying for
being allowed to distribute commercial applications? You'll get more
much value in return :) And you'll be surprised how much efficient and
productive Open Development can be for the sake of your project.
I respect being free for the sake of being free (=GPL). I envy those
that have time and money for that. But, in practice, the majority (not
all) have economic interests behind us (you do as well)
Another issue. In some cases users are using jOpenDocument for open
source projects (maybe for the sake of being free!), but having
different licenses (incompatible ones like EPL) makes difficult its
adoption as well (GPL eats everything that dears to accept it!). If you
are that kind of person that loves things being free for the sake of
being free, you could make things even more free with such licenses :P
The library reached 10 000 downloads, the majority of users doesn't
pay for a commercial licence,
we are all happy with this situation.
In 1 year, jOpenDocument became the most appreciated library for
OpenDocument files manipulation.
My mailbox if full of positive comments and thanks for all the work we
share.
I do not doubt the value of jOpenDocument, neither its increasingly
adoption date, and I personally think there is a lot of power behind it.
And I don't think I've provided any negative comment about it, but
rather opening some discussion on it :)
And just one last thought. jOpendocument has become widespread toolkit
for ODF manipulation. How big do you want it to be? How many potential
users could it have lost because of unappropriated licensing? How many
of them has discarded its usage and went for another alternative (such
as ODFToolkit) just because of licensing problems?
Again, just my 0.02$
Best Regards,
Víctor.
