I've been kind of following this thread, since it's fascinating. Anyway, I
know the GPL, and I've read the LGPL a couple of times, but I can't find
this other one, MPL. Any pointers?
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bradley D. LaRonde [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Monday, October 04, 1999 2:32 PM
> To: Alex Holden
> Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: Request for comments - Microwindows
>
>
> > On Mon, 4 Oct 1999, Bradley D. LaRonde wrote:
> > > So if I'm understanding you right, you are saying that we
> might have an
> > > opportunity with Micro* to do something similar, but only
> if we GPL the
> > > server part (or maybe LGPL?), but definately not MPL it.
> Is that right?
> >
> > Because of the restrictive nature of the GPL, you can't legally link
> > proprietory code into it. The Linux kernel on Intel PCs,
> with millions of
> > potential users, is just starting to become popular enough
> that we can
> > actually force some hardware vendors to release specs to
> allow a GPLed
> > driver to be written, or to even write a GPLed driver
> themselves. Up till
> > fairly recently, and with less common hardware, this didn't
> usually work,
> > and a lot of hardware had to be reverse engineered.
>
> I don't mind reverse engineering something. The tempting
> thing is when a
> vender says they'll give you the specs but you can't release
> anything but a
> binary. That is something to avoid IMO. Maybe it is better
> to reverse
> engineer it than to cave to the vendor's desires.
>
> Why give up your right to release source code? Why not tell
> that vendor
> "I'll sign and NDA, but only with the condition that I can
> release my work
> open-source." I have.
Agreed. If we have to reverse engineer some drivers, so be it. But we
should demand that our work can be released GPL'd.
>
> > How long do you think
> > it'll be before Nano-X on Foo obscure Palmtop or embedded system has
> > enough millions of users for a hardware manufacturer to be
> forced into
> > releasing a GPLed driver or specs for somebody to write a
> GPLed driver for
> > it? Roughly never?
>
> If Linux was guided from the start by that thinking, it may
> never have made
> it to that point either.
>
> I think that GPL is the answer for the server part.
>
> Do we believe in this thing or not? I do.
>
> Are we willing to reverse engineer a few devices? Are we
> willing to have to
> write some extra code now and then? I am.
>
> So let's just take a deep breath, GPL the server part, go
> forward, and not
> look back.
>
> As for the client part, same thing execpt add an L before the GPL.
>
> Regards,
> Brad
>
