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Texas Startup Blog

• MySQL won’t use GPLv3 (for now)

  Posted: 07 Jan 2007 09:56 PM CST

  MySQL dropped the GPL (General Public License) for their own license called MySQL 5.0 and 5.1 (basically version 2 without the upgrade to version three feature).  The stated reason was the groups concern over the upcoming version three of the General Public License.  Kaj Arno explains,

  "MySQL AB continues to work with the Free Software Foundation for GPLv3 to be the new widespread licence under which free software is licensed, However, until we get clear and strong indications for the general acceptance of GPLv3 over GPLv2, we feel comfortable with a specific GPLv2 reference in our licence."

  The existing version of the GPL is a pre-internet document (1991) before open source business models were concieved of.  The authors of the license, the Free Software Foundation, believe software should be free.  I don’t agree, but I do appreciate open source as a business model.  Here are the changes.  Here is the current draft.  We have been talking about the current ‘version 2′ of the GPL explaining how we sought to define the term "distribution".  We believe that the current version of the GPL requires that software delivered as a service (hosted applications) are distributed and as a result the source must be delivered as well (others feel you do not need to release the code if it is hosted).  The new GPL version tightens section six and clearly explains that the source code must be delivered if the software is hosted.  Our strategy was to simply clarify our intent just before including the license.

  

  

• Open source masochists!

  Posted: 07 Jan 2007 05:40 PM CST

  Sometimes it seems to me that open source communities seek to destroy themselves.  Our own experience with SimpleTicket convinced us to close the development process (deciding to simply release the resulting source code, instead of seeking public contributions).  When we released various Big in Japan tools using the GPL a few vocal critics felt that our interpretation of ‘distribution’ violated the spirt of the GPL.  Now Asterisk is under attack.

  There is a very silly debate in the Asterisk community that the open source PBX is not really open due to the fact that the switch uses a proprietary signalling protocol (I do not even think this is true).  Specifically, Michael Slavitch says, "Asterisk isn’t even an open SIP switch, it is a VOIP PBX that must translate SIP into its own media format, and is highly biased towards the use of proprietary hardware from Digium.”  Alec Saunders suggests that, "Arguing over the degree of openness of Asterisk is like arguing over whether sugar cones are better with sprinkles or without. The raison d’etre of a sugar cone is the ice cream, n’est ce pas?"

  The release of the Asterisk source code has been a huge benefit to people throughout the world (the highest value to folks in Asia and Africa).  Digium, the owner of the Asterisk copyright, made money selling VoIP hardware (we own a few of their PRI cards).  The money they made selling hardware made it possible for the company to contribute the code.  You can complain that they are capitalists or simply recognize they have made a significant contribution to the world.  Thanks Digium… 

   

  

  

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