20 Dec
2005
20 Dec
'05
1:24 a.m.
But keep in mind that there is such a thing as
"constructive
criticism" and then there's the other kind.
[...the basis for creating ImageDisk...]
Up until two days ago, I was under the impression that these efforts
were generally appreciated and of use to people. Now all of a sudden
I am being blasted with complaints from a few very vocal list members
about my not providing source code.
Since you chose my message to respond to, I reply - but I can speak
only for myself. I think the only thing I've ever said that's even
vaguely like that is that your release policy diminished my opinion of
you somewhat.
I immediately addressed this - I offered to make the
code available
on a per-request basis until I am ready to make a public release,
however much of what you did not include in the quotes, was
statements about how wonderful GPL is, why my code MUST be released
under GPL to be useful to the sender of that message, and how all of
my attempts to explain why I disagree with this are "non-sequiter".
I don't know what you've received privately, of course. I've just gone
back and reread, again, the message I quoted an excerpt from. its
author mentions the GPL, but, at least to my reading, is not pressuring
you to use the GPL; indeed, it seems to me that he was trying to
collaborate with you to find ways for you to get certain good effects
of the GPL without having to take the whole thing.
I'm no fan of the GPL either; I find it hypocritical, in large part
inappropriate, and accompanied by a rabid fan culture I find repellent.
But it does have some good aspects, and I think anyone contemplating
writing a license for source-code release should at least have a look
at it for things to adopt, adapt, and avoid.
For the record, NOBODY took me up on my "per
request" offer for the
source code. I did make the mistake of using the term "NDA" as a
simple means of indicating that I would not want source code so
requested to be redistributed, and since then every correspondance
from one individual has mentioned "fear of legal action" if even an
"Idea" from my program were to leak into his own work, and oh by the
way, GPL would remove this fear.
I saw fragments of one message that mentioned fear of legal action, in
an off-list response you Cc:ed me in on (and which I wrote a response
to, but couldn't send to you).
In today's legal climate, unfortunately, such fear is well-founded.
The only really effective way to assuage it is a clear copyright
license (or statement of public domain status).
At this point, it appears that nothing I can do (short
of GPLing the
sources which ain't gonna happen) to make you happy -
I'm not sure whom "you" refers to here. If it's me, you have a very
badly mistaken impression, but since I haven't been saying any of the
things you seem to be basing this on, I suspect it's more aimed at the
unnamed person from whom you've been getting GPL badgering.
lets just say that: ImageDisk is gone off the table -
I'm sure that will help matters immensely.
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