>Alain : ...The only sensitive issue in this regard is
>the obligation or not to release all of the code
>modifications that a developer does, even portions that
>the developer considers a strategic advantage.
Uli : Yeah, that's what I'm unsure about. On one hand I agree that it
should be possible to integrate proprietary SW into OC.
Alain : Yes, but how about the proprietary modification of OC�s source
code?
Uli : OTOH I'd like to have as much feedback from people modifying OC
as possible.
Alain : Definitely!
Uli : Wait! We can do it: What do people hate most? Maintaining code
for muliple platforms. This means that many of them will send us their
changes anyway, because if we integrate them, we'll maintain them and
we'll also take care not to break them. That means they won't have that
much to do, and they'll be sure that their additions will be part of
the standard distribution and we'll fix any bugs we find or at least
notify them of the bugs.
Alain : It�s possible. It depends upon the perceived value of their
addition-to or modification-of OpenCard�s source code.
Uli : ... this means we can live with a very free license. Just ask
them to please send in any changes or bug fixes, as this will ensure
that they'll be of benefit to everyone and that external developers
don't have to re-apply bug fixes every time. But if they don't, they
don't. Of course then they can't expect us to take care of not breaking
their code, as we don't know what their code is.
Alain : If I follow you correctly, proprietary changes could be kept
proprietary if the developer of these changes so chooses. And the
developer would be encouraged to contribute his changes so that his
code will not be broken in future releases of OC (forward
compatibility). I could live with that!
Uli : I think we might want to limit redistribution of OC, though. We
should prevent people from distributing modified versions, and from
selling the source code. They may distribute (at no charge!) the
original OC sources and ship along sort of a "patch" which can be
copied over the original sources to apply their changes. This way we
ensure people getting the OC sources don't get a wrong impression of
our code due to someone else's bad programming style.
Alain : Good point, Uli.
>Alain : We might also want to consider a clause that
>prohibits certains uses that would be prejudicial to
>our reputations, and so on. It might seem a little bit
>odd to bring this up, but it is a standard part of an
>author's rights.
Uli : We can. But we'll have to be very careful about things like
this.There are people from several different countries working on OC
and each country has different laws and most importantly a different
culture. There are dozens of different opinions, and I think it would
be better if we just included a clause that they have to make clear
that although OC was used, its authors had nothing to do with the
creation of any derivative works or stacks.
Alain : There are international agreements concerning the enforcement
of Copyright rights that many developed countries abide by. We could
use these to guide us in the draft of our own licencing terms. And we
are talking about general guidelines that are not likely to conflict
with any particular country�s laws anyhow.
>Alain : ... does "personal use" include the use of OC
>to author something that could be commercialized ?
Uli : Scratch "personal use". I meant it to be just free to be used by
all users of OC, without royalty. Just like HyperCard's icons: Everyone
who uses HC may use them in their stacks.
Alain : Right on!
>Alain : The number of licences to obtain for a complete
>project would probably be discouragingly high.
Uli : I meant something else. I meant we just have all images under one
"OC Image License" which states that you may use the icons, clip art
etc. provided with OC in any commercial stack you create with it.
Alain : And other licences, one for each element-type?
>Alain : I believe that people are inherently creative,
>and would work even if, hypothetically, money was no
>longer in the picture. Like in Star Trek !
Uli : I don't agree with ST's vision of the world.
Alain : In my opinion, Gene Roddenberry�s socio-political vision of the
future is one the main reasons that Star Trek became the phenomenon
that it is. In the future that Roddenberry created, we have no more
�Mutually-Assured Destruction�, people occupy themselves without the
necessity (tyranny) of working to insure one�s survival, the Prime
Directive prohibits the UFP (United Federation of Planets) from
interfering with the normal development of the planets that they visit.
The latter is quite radical given the inevitable imperialism and
ethno-centrism of all exploration in the History of Mankind.
Uli : Ultimately, I think even altruism is only a form of egoism ...
Alain : If you mean that the altruist is only being altruistic so that
he can feel good about himself, I suppose you could be right. But
that�s not so bad, is it?
Uli : ... but as long as people are working for OpenCard because they
intend to use the resulting program, I'm sure they'll do their best in
their own interests.
Alain : A form of altruism nonetheless, despite the eventual benefits
to the contributors, because we will all benefit from contributions
that are not our own. And because we are adopting a long-term view on
what is �in our best interest�, instead of the usual immediate-gain
that directly proportional to the effort one expends in its attainment.
That�s altruism too in my book.
>Alain : And, ultimately, content is what it is all about anyway.
Uli : Exactly.
Alain : Except in our case, eh! Because we are the tool-building
types. It's what attracted us to software like HyperCard. I see myself
as a facilitator that makes the effort to master the technical side of
all of these technologies, in order to allow other people
(content-providers) to do THEIR thing without being handicapped by the
technologies. And I make money doing this. Is this altruism or not?
Regards
Alain Farmer
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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