[App_rpt-users] App_rpt-users Digest, Vol 116, Issue 13

[Kevin Custer]

On 10/24/2018 7:19 PM, Mike Besemer wrote:
>   Frankly, most of us have no idea what the hell you're complaining about and your attitude doesn't do anything to motivate us to figure it out.

AllStarLink, Inc. is an assembly of people selected to carry out the 
project and vision of Jim Dixon (SK).  Jim is now passed on and was the 
inventor of AllStar Link.  He is also responsible for many aspects of 
Asterisk and mainly wrote the app_rpt software application that makes 
Asterisk capable of being a full blown repeater controller, capable of 
several ports per computer host. AllStar has always been an open source 
project, as Jim Dixon had no interest in selling it outright, or as a 
paid application.  To say the very least, Jim Dixon was all about open 
source.  The AllStar project is protected by GPL, 
<https://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/1532.html> a license 
that's visible when viewing the Source Code of AllStarLink and every 
derivative of it.

The folks at AllStarLink put a lot of time, effort, and money into 
continuing the AllStar Link project.  They are fully responsible for 
vetting new members (making sure they a licensed amateur radio 
operators), issuing node numbers, running servers to allow connections 
between its members, and a website to make it all happen.  AllStarLink 
provides free support via several contact methods.   AllStarLink is 
(mainly) funded by several individuals who regularly donate to it.  In 
other words, it's generally free to the users.  This doesn't mean it's 
free to maintain.  There are real monthly costs associated with running 
it.  I've personally carried the monthly fees myself.  I'm not 
mentioning this for any recognition - I'm simply trying to let folks 
know it's not free to make this project available to the amateur public.

Jim Dixon was a brilliant man, but not a easy one to work with.  I had a 
few uncomfortable conversations with Jim myself.  But, you soon learned 
that it was what it was, and you played as he wanted.

The folks at HamVoIP had several ideas of their own and were mostly met 
with resistance from Jim.  That led to Jim making the statement that the 
folks at HamVoIP should fork the project, and do as they please.  That's 
exactly what happened, but there's a catch....

If you fork a project protected by the GPL, you must do one of two things:
1 - Use it for your own purposes and NOT distribute or support it publicly.
2 - Comply with the GPL and release your changes to the public.

If (and only if) you do the latter, are you allowed to redistribute your 
version of the work.  What does this mean?

It's perfectly legal to fork a Linux project, but, if you are going to 
redistribute a derivative to the general public, you MUST release the 
source code.

NO ONE would have an issue with the HamVoIP project if they simply 
complied, and released the source.   Wouldn't that be the "right" thing 
to do?

HamVoIP does not directly support the project financially, or 
otherwise.  They are not responsible for the membership.  In recent 
months, they are quick to take credit for all of AllStar, but they don't 
really have much to do with it.  They even go on to make a very negative 
public perception of all of the folks at AllStarLink. For example, just 
go look at their home page and read the section on "August 15, 2018".  
While the transition of making the server stack more reliable and 
diverse didn't go exactly as planned, we're not a bunch of buffoons 
either.  Personally, attacks like this hurt the core of what we're 
trying to do - continue with a great project. They hurt me and the rest 
of the team personally - but we're supposed to pretend they don't 
exist.  Bryan has more time (and possibly more money) in the AllStar 
project than anyone else since Jim's passing.  Maybe now you understand 
his position more clearly. AllStarLink is responsible for the most of 
it, but HamVoIP has led people to believe THEY are AllStar, but they're 
not.  And - now you know why.

Kevin Custer W3KKC
Board Member
AllStarLink, Inc.



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.keekles.org/pipermail/app_rpt-users/attachments/20181024/b728c97c/attachment.html>