[Nel] Congratulations + concerns

Sun, 1 Jul 2001 11:32:23 +0200

* Michael Warnock <michael@in-orbit.net> [010701 09:48]:
+> 6/30/2001 3:51:13 PM, x5101920@fedro.ugr.es wrote:
+> 
+> >
+> >Mensaje citado por: Michael Warnock <michael@in-orbit.net>:
+> >
+
+> >> legally use gpl'ed code in your own, unreleased programs- and why should
+> >> we release the server side code?
+> >
+> >I would love that you reply to this answer to me and to Nel guys that are so 
+> >hard working on such a good project.
+> >
+> We're quite grateful to them- we've even had them over to our place in san francisco, but it just so happens that they are also at work on a lot of nel based code that they have not released- and they are by no means required to- it is only in the event of distributing binaries that you must distribute source.
+> 
+> >IMO In the same moment that you make public your server you are making it public 
+> >and you should release it. But I am not a lawyer.
+> >
+
+
+My understanding of the GPL is that your do not have to give source code
+if you do not "give" binary. This is a concern to Mr Stallman because
+of the comming Application Services Providers (or that kind of Three Letters
+ Acronym). This should be fixed with the upcoming v 3 of the GPL.
+
+Neither Am I A L., but for the rules parts, my 2 euros :
+the reverse engineering part is not that relevent because you could
+apply to any computer prog. I know that people fitted archmage models in
+matlab, but with LARGE rule sets, I don't think it's realistic.
+I think it could be possible to use propritery code with GPL code 
+using a LGLP 'hook' layer. But I'm not sure...
+
+To be on thesafe side, GPL and non-GPL code should not be in the same 
+adress-space (ie CORBA).You have to pay an efficiency penalty to keep your code
+non-GPL and that's the intended behaviour IMHO.
+
+For thoses who think GPL is worthless ("a joke") because you can steal / use
+the code anyway, I think you are missing the point. What matter is not the
+software (state of CVS at time t), but the ongoing project. That's why
+there are VERY few forks on GPL land. Use the code and it's ok, the project
+is working for you. Take the code, change it, and then YOU have to handle
+all the evolution, or keep track of changes (what if they are not compatible
+with yours ?). You can certainly catch-up very easly with a GPL project, and
+it's R&D is available for everyone to use (great karma IMHO), but the
+power of the successful GPL project is not in the code, but in the community
+behind it. (Of course, both are linked, hard to attract people with ugly code)
+
+I really hope that NeL will build such a dedicated and helpful community.
+(Code quality is there IMHO, for network design etc, I'not qualified...)
+
+Bernard
+
+