At 05:24 AM 5/17/2000 -0400, Rick Scott wrote:
>On 16-May-00 at 22:43, Mark Hatch ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote:
> > At 10:06 PM 5/16/2000 -0400, Rick Scott wrote:
> > >People seem to be trivializing the license problem. One of the biggest
> > >problems
> > >that I see with it goes as follows....
> > >
> > >- I contribute something to OpenMotif to make it a better product.
> > >
> > >- I cannot use those contributions on any of my comercial HP's, Sun's,
> > >whatever. I wrote it, but I can't use it????
> >
> > I am not a lawyer... But I seem to remember that the original owner of a
> > code, can make it available under different licenses and copyrights. For
> > example, The Open Group is making Motif available under 2 copyrights and 2
> > license agreements with different rights, obligations and fees.
> >
> > I suspect that you could make additions that you write available under both
> > LGPL and the IBM Public license as modified by The Open Group.
> >
> > This is certainly a hassle, but it at least preserves your access to your
> > own code.
>
>However, if this code is part of OpenMotif, let's say added functionality to
>Primitive.c, how do I manage to utilize this on a comercial OS, with a bundled
>non-OpenMotif???
Fair concern. You can't transfer those addons to HP.
There is also the open source path to HP in that they might adopt your
changes in a future release if they were blessed by whoever becomes the
standard keeper for Motif.
I think the more interesting subject here is who manages the standard? If
the open source community, e.g. for example the lesstif team, were given
responsibility for managing what Motif is, then the changes would get
propagated to the proprietary platforms (delta the usual delays in OS
releases). This is similar to the role Linus plays for the kernel.
There is an interesting tradeoff here... No one would argue that the
lesstif team is a "formal standards organization" or a hired gun for a
standards body (e.g., Metrolink for X, and ICS for Motif support), and so
might be quickly discounted. After all who would TOG or X.org contract with?
However, I can think of very few groups of individuals that have the
equivalent engineering knowledge of Motif... Reverse engineering requires
you to know more of the nooks and crannies of a software product than the
original developer... If the lesstif team had an incentive to take an
active role in the development of Open Motif, think of the possibilities...
X.org is meeting this week (today?). And although they probably will not
make a decision, the topic of Motif maintainer will likely be discussed.
Mark
Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc.
Visual Development Tools for Professionals
617-621-0060 x108 (voice)
617-621-9555 (fax)
201 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139
