On Nov 13, 2006, at 8:54 AM, Steven Shaw wrote:
On 13/11/06, Steve Vinoski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
It's unfortunately GPL, which to the best of my knowledge means it
won't help us here (see [1]).
I don't understand what you are getting at. I think GPL is a good
move. I
understand about [1]. This is the platform/runtime. We run Apache Qpid
Java on the propretary Java runtime now, don't we? In particular, I
thought
this move might make RedHat think differently about focusing on Java
technology...
IANAL. I was merely pointing out what [1] says about GPL and Apache
software.
When the GPL license for JRE was just a rumour, Javalobby sent a
newsletter
about that. Here's an bit of that. The link to the "10 common
misunderstandings about the GPL" is probably worth a read.
GPL is so open source, in fact, that many are concerned to use GPL-
based
packages in their own technology. The myth is that if you use any GPL
technology in your product, then your product will be "infected" by
legal
provisions in the GPL, and you will be required to open source your
technology under the same terms as the GPL technology you
incorporated.
While it is true that GPL has provisions that may have consequences
for your
GPL-based products, it is not nearly as simple as the viral
infection myth
that appears to have originated within corridors of a certain
software giant
located in Redmond, Washington. For an excellent overview of this
issue and
several related issues, I highly recommend the article "10 common
misunderstandings about the GPL <http://www.dzone.com/r/6566>" by
Bruce
Byfield. If it is true that GPL will govern the core Java platform,
then
you'll most likely want to have a better sense of what that may
mean to you.
One item that the author gets completely wrong IMO is blaming the
rumor about GPL being viral on a speech by Craig Mundie in May 2001.
That alleged rumor had been circulating for the better part of the
decade preceding that speech, and I'm sure Mundie's speech only
echoed that "rumor." I haven't yet read the other nine items, so I
can't comment on their accuracy.
But as I say, IANAL. I'm also not looking for an argument. I'll leave
it to the lawyers to decide whether GPL is a good move or not in
general, and I'll leave it to legal-minded people in Apache to decide
what this means for Apache software.
--steve
Cheers,
Steve.
