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

Thu Oct 25 20:38:54 UTC 2018

Kevin, 

I would like to thank you for your thoughtful and correct response. 

I have been around Allstarlink since the early days. 

I was a close friend to Jim Dixon.  I personally know the full story.

Your summary below is factual and true.

I appreciate your detailed explanation to the AllstarLink community. 

Everyone in the AllstarLink community deserves the true story of what has actually happened and what is actually happening so that they can be informed about actual facts and not fiction.  

Hopefully with your summary and explanation all reading posts on this list can understand that the folks at AllstarLink, Inc. are only trying to help the ham community and the Allstarlink cause.

AllstarLink, Inc. has a bunch of great people that silently work behind the scenes, they donate personal time, money and talents for the cause.  All the while, the "Allstarlink technology just magically keeps working for the AllstarLink users" . 

Those same folks working behind the scenes for AllstarLink, Inc. can only take so many of the lies, miss representations, and half truths told from this other group (mainly two individuals),  before the AllstarLink, Inc. guys feel the need to set the record straight.

Some of you on the list have made known your displeasure of all these posts regarding politics via this email list. 

If it really bothers you, please, please, please just hit the delete button and move on to the next email. 

Sometimes the record needs to be set straight. 

Yes this list is about learning and helping others. For the new folks on here,  do not hesitate to ask questions on the list. 

There are many folks here that will help out. 

73

Marshall - ke6pcv

From: App_rpt-users [mailto:app_rpt-users-bounces at lists.allstarlink.org] On Behalf Of Kevin Custer
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 7:03 PM
To: Users of Asterisk app_rpt
Subject: Re: [App_rpt-users] App_rpt-users Digest, Vol 116, Issue 13

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.

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