On Wed, 25 Aug 2004, Graham Murray wrote:
Ryan Ordway <ryan(_at_)nwgeeks(_dot_)com> writes:
Perhaps a show of hands is in order to see just
how much of a "minority" those who disapprove of the terms
of the RFSIPL are? Consider my hand raised.
My hand is raised.
My hand is also raised. Because in my view the license terms represent a
blow to opensource and a more important here blow to IETF process.
The license terms are a blow to the core of the opensource movement. All
other open-source license were created as a reaction to GNU when it did
not quite fit circumstance for particular product when commercial
interest were to a degree involved. However opensouce core represented
by GNU is why Linux is so popular and its emphasis is on creating product
that is free to everyone and where everyone, including commercial entities
are treated the same just as a free willing contributor to the product
and his/hers/its contribution does not impose any restrictions and become
equal part of the total mix.
The IETF to a degree represents similar ideas in the world of protocol
design - everyone here is treated as a individual and his or hers
contribution go towards the total and should be treated equally with
everyone elses ideas no matter what company person may work for (if any
at all). As individuals everyone here is giving their time and ideas
freely towards the total understanding that its all goes towards creating
something really good that everyone can enjoy and all such participants
receive back is enjoyment that you helped everyone else on the net (and
maybe your name in RFC, but although for some that is important, I hope
most understand that its not the main thing). Similarly to opensource the
contribution should not impose restrictions on the protocol as those
giving it, including large corporations should be compelled to provide
their ideas free and unrestricted to everyone else (although I'm ok with
patent license terms where all that is required is acknoledgement of work
of that company, that is fair thing to ask).
If we continue with IETF process where company get involved and using
their patent terms restrict use of the protocol to only certain persons,
the process would have failed to achieve fundamental goal of creating
an open standard and failed to equally account contribution of every party.
This represents the end of IETF in the way it was in my view.
--
William Leibzon
Elan Networks
william(_at_)elan(_dot_)net