[App_rpt-users] Allstar Node

[David McGough]

WHAT???  In the USA, copyright law is the ONLY thing that matters! Wow.

So, what happens if a supposed copyright owner shows up 10 years from now
and says:  "That code or function (or whatever) was never GPL2 and should
never have been released!" ---and they have reasonable proof??? In the
best case, it'll be innocent infringement and yes, you'll be settling in
or out of court. Oh wait, I've been there. Got that tee shirt.  Don't need
another one.

This is one reason why Digium requires a contributor agreement. When you
sign that legal agreement, you state that the code you're providing is
your own and not from any other sources.

Why is my simple request an insurmountable issue??

Enough for today. Other fish to fry.



73, David KB4FXC




On Wed, 26 Dec 2018, Willem Schreuder wrote:

> On Wed, 26 Dec 2018, David McGough wrote:
> 
> > My primary concern is: Who is the Copyright owner NOW for all the various
> > AllStar related modules and as of what date were they released GPL2?
> 
> The beauty of the GPL is that it is largely irrelevant who the copyright 
> holder is.  If you hold a GPL copyright, the ONLY power you have is that 
> you can ensure that the software remains open source.
> 
> By using the GPL you explicitly allow ANYBODY to use, modify, redistribute 
> or other make use of that code.  The only restriction is that in turn, 
> they also provide these modifications under the same terms.
> 
> The GPL does not view the world as a zero sum game.  It explicitly 
> recognizes that when we get the best ideas from everybody, we are all 
> better off.
> 
> So anybody could fork the ASL codebase, make it better or worse or change 
> it in any way that like.  The ONLY requirement is that you MUST release 
> the source.
> 
> If the only leverage that people who mean HAMVOIP ill has is the GPL, then 
> I would submit that you can undercut their ill intentions by releasing the 
> source.  Then you will have the high ground both legally and ethically.
> 
> I would argue that the superior technology will win out, regardless of 
> whether it is called AllStarLink or HAMVOIP or whatever name you choose. 
> As long as you comply with the GPL, there is nothing anybody can do to 
> prevent you from developing and expanding the technology.  Furthermore, it 
> give you the power to enforce compliance with the GPL for the components 
> you contribute.
> 
> And while it is undoubtedly true that other people will make use of the 
> clever things you contributed, people will know where it was pioneered and 
> others will be playing catchup as long as you keep improving your 
> implementation.  And there may be other clever things you could use and 
> improve on that others may invent.
> 
> I think I have made it clear that I am not naive about the political 
> machinations and I certainly don't condone the underhanded things that 
> have happened.
> 
> However, I cannot condone violation of the GPL as an appropriate response.
> 
> ================================================================
> Dr. Willem A. Schreuder,  President,  Principia Mathematica
> Address:  445 Union Blvd, Suite 230,  Lakewood, CO  80228, USA
> Tel: (303) 716-3573   Fax: (303) 716-3575
> WWW: www.prinmath.com   Email: Willem.Schreuder at prinmath.com
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