Re: Java fundraising/donations apps
On Thursday 22 April 2004 9:34, Herb van den Dool wrote:
> A question for Chris. Have you looked at the opensource fundraising
> Java app, VisibleResults (http://www.visres.org/)? How does it
> measure up to what you are planning for the Java version of
> Infocentral? A while back I searched the web for open source
> fundraising apps and VisibleResults looked promising - not that I
> have much programming experience.
I hadn't heard of that before, but I just checked it out. I wasn't
able to get it running because it requires some kind of stupid
"Interclient" connector to the Firebird database. The Interclient
linux binary offered by the Firebird project didn't work and they
gave no source so I couldn't try my own compile. Supposedly
interclient will no longer be needed with version 2.2 of VR.
Overall it looks like they're covering a lot of good features, but
there are two significant problems I see:
1.) They are using a limited 2-tier design and are not using a J2EE
application server. The application appears to talk SQL directly to
the database. Essentially this is just the fancy Java version of
what I'm doing with PHP InfoCentral. It's not Enterprise Java
design.
2.) They claim the license is GPL but then add an exception that
limits freedom to use the software once obtained:
"VisibleResults may NOT be used for Public Performance without
permission by Sundayta Ltd. This means that you may NOT charge anyone
for access to a VisibleResults system without asking Sundayta for
permission."
This is not only improper use of the GPL (they need to create their
own license and call it something different) but it is also
incompatible with GPL because it limits the freedom of end users. I
can not contribute in any way to this project or use any of their
work in InfoCentral unless this limitation is removed. Also, this
kind of license is automatically incompatible with DFSG.
Chris
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