Re: JFORK: Or a reasonable response to the Sun SCSL
John, there is one point you raised I am not sure I agree with:
> 8. A HURD VM is possible due to the nature of its message passing system
> and would be the most reasonable course to pursue for the development of
> portable software. This course would basically make Java obsolete, and
> would allow the use of many types of inexpensive hardware solutions to
> replace Sun's expensive servers and workstations. This is what they are
> concerned about.
Java is being taught in many schools, mine included, as the default
language. Our profs do not mind if we use other languages, but all example
code, all example everything, the default IDE in the labs, EVERYTHING, is
java. That makes for a few years of CS students that know nothing but Java.
(Depressing..)
Java has spread to Mac, to os/2 (I hope), win32, win3.1, free unix,
commercial unix, practically every platform.
I have a hard time believing that one GNU Hurd VM module will suddenly cause
all that momentum to go away. (Especially, if Ean has it right -- building a
VM for Hurd, if built from the java 2.0 specs, is going to fall under the
Derivitive Works section of SCSL. And be not free.)
Some very nice points, but I doubt the hurd will be able to serve as the
magic bullet.
comments?
On Wed, Sep 15, 1999 at 05:44:56PM -0500, John Foster wrote:
> I have been watching this thread for some time and feel that some
> reality is in order for anyone interested in this subject.
>
> My 2 cents worth:
>
> 1. Sun and all other commercial ventures exist solely for the purpose of
> making money. They will sometimes do some things that seem to be for the
> "good of mankind", but those things generally have some "lucrative"
> aspect to them (read SCSL).
>
> 2. The aspect of making money is not "a bad thing" in itself. The
> acquisition of profit by using deceptive tactics is "a bad thing".
> 3. The owner of any original patent/copyright license has the right to
> alter that patent at will. For instance if Sun decides to not make
> StarOffice available under the SCSL they do have the right, because they
> bought it, to make StarOffice a commercial package. They can do so at
> will.
>
> 4. Technically/legally Sun or Microsoft, or AOL and many others, could
> alter the terms of the current license structures so that "open source"
> "free" software ceases to exist. If Linas Torvalds decided that the next
> kernel version of Linux was not to be GPL software, he has the right to
> do it. Does that shock you? If it does then you need to read up on the
> U.S. patent and trademark guidelines as they apply to intellectual
> property, especially software.
>
> 5. There is a huge movement in Europe to keep software patents out of
> the legal system. I do not think they will be successful. However,
> "THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY ALL INTERESTED PEOPLE WITH REGARD TO SUN'S SCSL
> AND THE APPLICATION OF IT'S GUIDELINES WILL SET A PRECEDENT FOR YEARS TO
> COME"
>
> 6. In my opinion "the best interests of free open source software will
> be served by pushing forward with development of the GNU HURD system and
> the implementation of a HURD Virtual Machine language that has all the
> capabilities of Java as it is now, but is more likely to remain free.
>
> 7. If Debian and all the other Linux communities continue to put forth
> free software that is portable to all hardware systems they represent a
> serious threat to all commercial software.
>
> 8. A HURD VM is possible due to the nature of its message passing system
> and would be the most reasonable course to pursue for the development of
> portable software. This course would basically make Java obsolete, and
> would allow the use of many types of inexpensive hardware solutions to
> replace Sun's expensive servers and workstations. This is what they are
> concerned about.
>
> All my best wishes to the people who assist in the "Free Software"
> movement, and especially to those of you that do the actual development
> of applications.
> --
> John Foster
> AdVance-Computing Systems
> jfoster@augustmail.com
> ICQ# 19460173
>
>
> --
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--
Seth Arnold | http://www.willamette.edu/~sarnold/
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