Re: [OSS] Re: Fwd: Second OSS Conference - Follow Up

Stefan,

Thanks for your patience in clarifying that. Time to slap my ego and rebel delusions up the side of the head again. :)))

No, i did not ask them about which license they'd be using or whether the source would be included with binaries in any distribution medium they used for the binaries. Is that an accurate interpretation of the GNU/GPL's "clause which stipulates where the sources have to be available"?

In fact, i think its instructive to note how, even as a native English speaker, i:
* i did not fully appreciate the relevance of the GNU/GPL's clause requiring source-binary accompaniment in distribution;
* i made what i think is the classic mistake Mr Stallman is now devoted to clarifying, the critical difference between *permitting* the *current* open access of source code (for usage, modification and redistribution) and *maintaining* its *perpetual* openness (in the same sense of open access, usage, modification and [re]distribution).

Am i understanding this correctly now?

Again, thanks for your leadership, Stefan.

All the best,
Andi

At 10:01 2003.01.30, you wrote:
>Andi,
>
>I was talking about VietKey's keyboard driver, not about their Linux distro.
>
>Their keyboard driver underwent obviously a change of coats:
>First, a normal proprietary commercial program, allowing use on a single hard disk. As soon as you changed your HD, you had to buy a new license.
>This was the "official" version for foreigners who were looking for a way to pay.
>Since it got cracked, they did not care too much about Vietnamese users not paying the fees, or they were requested to pay only a fraction. It was basically a negotiable price.
>Now they are obviously applying again a dual-mode: On one of their websites they are still offering it for pay, on another website, they are offering free download. No sources are available, and Tuan has no intention to release them.
>
>On the other side they are making this "VietKey Linux". This is what I meant with "Riding the wave, but not releasing sources".
>Regarding "VietKey Linux": During the Conference, Tuan told me, that they would make the sources available "on request". The last time we called them here in Hanoi, they said, that they don't know yet how to distribute the binaries - and the sources.
>
>Now they say: they _will_ host the sources on a webserver _once_they_have_one_ (which will not happen in the near future) - means: no sources for now for their Linux distro.
>
>And, to host the sources only on a website is against the GPL.
>They plan a "One CD Distribution", which means the sources are probably in the 2 GB range (?). Now, who in Vietnam would download 2 GB from a website????
>This is clearly a way to deter people from having a look at the sources.
>If they distribute on CD, then they have to make also the sources available on CD: "from the same place, where the binaries can be obtained".
>
>Did you ask them under which license they would release their "VietKey Linux"?
>In case they say "GPL", then how do they interpret the clause which stipulates where the sources have to be available?
>
>Cheers,
>Stefan
>
>
>At 22:18 29.01.2003 +0000, you wrote:
>-------------------------
>>At 04:17 2003.01.30, Richard Stallman wrote:
>>> > I asked Tuan, why he does not post the source code of his VietKey keyboard
>>> > driver.
>>> > His reply: His VietKey is "Free Software", but not "Open Source Software".
>>> > I asked him, how he would translate this "Free Software" to Vietnamese, and
>>> > he said "Phan Mem Mien Phi". I replied, that this is not "Free Software",
>>> > but "Freeware". "Free Software" would be "Phan Mem Thu Do".
>>>
>>>Here is a developer that wants to think he is contributing to our
>>>community while in fact he is refusing to contribute;
>>>
>>>Since Vietnamese has two different words for "libre" and "gratuit", it
>>>should be easy to talk about free software in Vietnamese and make it
>>>perfectly clear that this developer is not supporting users' freedom.
>>>That should help show the community that people like him are not
>>>contributors.
>>
>>>From: "Tran Viet Hung" <hungtrv@vietkey.net>
>>>To: "AD Marshall" <AD.VICE@ParadoxCafe.Net>
>>>Subject: Re: VietKey Linux d/l where / o+? dda^u
>>>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 13:03:20 +0700
>>>
>>>Dear Mr AD Marshall !
>>>
>>>Vietkey Group rely on some existing components such as Linux kernel, Qt
>>>library, XFree86, KDE,... to build Vietkey linux. We have built own Linux
>>>installer so we can update our distribution quickly whenever open source
>>>communitee release new version of components. These are some main features
>>>of Vietkey linux:
>>>- Linux kernel: 2.4.18
>>>- XFree86: 4.2
>>>- Qt: 3.0.3
>>>- KDE: 3.0.3
>>>We will provide source code of Vietkey linux in our Website, but now we
>>>don't have a dedicate server to upload Vietkey linux and source code.
>>>Thanks a lot
>
>
>
>
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