About XteamLinux (was Re: Unidentified subject!)

[hashao <hashao@telebot.com>]

Hello zhaoway,

Wednesday, June 28, 2000, 7:42:30 PM, you wrote:

z> 這是回復Debian Developer Anthony Fok關於License問題的信函。

Thanks for the information.

z> 我曾經勸說過XTeam的從老板到程序員關注這一問題。有
z> 一段時間，我考慮到XTeam的核心代碼工作是在XFree86上做的，而由於XFree
z> 是BSD(X Window)的License，並不強求公布代碼，另外XTeam去年在內核層次
z> 上做的工作，都已公開了。所以，我自己也不很在這一問題上過多煩惱。

X Window use MIT license. Yes, they do not have to release source code
or give out binaries for free.

z> 大多數朋友所關心源碼問題，是指XTeam並沒做任何實質工作的大量SRC.RPM沒
z> 有在網站上發布下載，也沒有刻成光盤。坦白說，這原因，一是整個XTeam對
z> GPL的這條要求並不了解，二是XTeam的網站到現在還沒有更新，正經是沒有力
z> 量來做，三是XTeam隻有在1.0光盤發布的時候沒有源碼盤，這原因是可以理解
z> 的，因為國內光盤發售渠道對於當時的XTeam來說太緊張了，沒有能力要求發行
z> 渠道為銷路不順的Linux發兩張光盤，價錢也會太高。

Not because no source code CD. It is okey to not have source code CDs
but they should at least provide source code on request. They did not
do that till now for (L)GPLed softwares.

z> 這第三條，當時的TurboLinux當時也是“觸犯”的，他們最早在國內發布的
z> TurboLinux光盤，也隻有單張，不帶源碼。所以從這個理由單罵XTeam是不公
z> 平的。並且後來除了下面講到的BluePoint，大家都發售源碼光盤了

I remember TCL, Xteam and BP were treated the same back then when
none of them released source codes. The source codes we are talking
about is not kernel source only. These companies all patched a lot of other
(L)GPLed softwares (translation included. translations are derived
from the original (L)GPLed parts, include manuals).

The rage against xteam was that the initial release of the
distribution has way too many bugs :). And users got no source codes.
So the soureless situation only heat up the anger against xteamlinux.
XteamLinux do contribute a lot to Chinese Linux movement (tm), :), but
their mistaken (mostly caused by conservative mind) back fired.

z> 我是RMS的崇拜者。RMS幾次到中國，都是由TurboLinux負責接待的。
z> 如果RMS希望在中國進行法律行動的話，我誠切的願意義務幫助RMS獲取
z> 來自TurboLinux公司以外的對中國市場的觀點和事實。

Cool, I do think it is very important for people to get to know Chinese Linux
community and markets from more variety channels.


-- 
Best regards,
 hashao                            mailto:hashao@telebot.com