Re: [Xen-users] RE: Does it legal to analysize XEN source code and write a book about it

[Tim Post <echo@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 2007-09-17 at 12:50 +0100, Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
> Tao Shen wrote:
> >
> >
> > 7.  Some of the examples in the open source industry right now 
> > include:  using PostgreSQL based code which is GPL'd, add a non-GPL'd 
> > replication suite to it, and call it enterpriseDB.  Using PostgreSQL 
> > based code, tweak some variables, add some non-GPL'd code (interfaced 
> > to the GPL'd one) to do distributed join and call it "bizgres" and 
> > "greenplum".   MySQL's Enterprise vs Community editions....the 
> > examples are all other the place.  All of them push the GPL boundary 
> > but don't violate it.    And what I call the "wrapper GPL" type 
> > products, and "dual licensing".  No, it's all perfect legal.   From an 
> > ethics perspective...it's arguable.

I think you have to look at things in a relative way. Relative to most
other commercial software companies, XenSource is a saint. I'm running
GNU/XenLinux on my desktop, if I had this developed myself, I would have
spent millions on it. XenSource pushed Xen, hard. XenSource is what
ensured Xen held up to critics. XenSource ensured that Xen got its
market share that it enjoys today.

This puts money in my pocket in a few ways :

1 - I'm paid to build xen stuff for web hosts
2 - I'm paid to design networks that rely heavily on Xen
3 - I'm able to give non profits cutting edge technology for free (I
don't charge them)
4 - I learned A LOT studying Xen, reading xen-devel and the Xen academic
papers. I'm a much better programmer than I was after studying Xen.
5 - Microkernels are now being looked at in a new light, because of Xen
(broadly). This means, hardware makers are finally waking up to the fact
that they _CAN_ reach beyond x86. This means new technology and new
opportunities.

What does Microsoft give you? What does Cisco give you? What does
NetGear give you?

First, Xen was made. Then XenSource made some neat programs to go with
it that cost money. In order to imply something sinister, you would
first have to demonstrate that XenSource knew how successful Xen (as a
whole) would be. I don't think that's possible, because I don't think
that they realized it until it smacked them. Please speak in proper time
and context.

As Nico said, look at RHEL. Look at the Novell-Microsoft deal, look at
so many other things in the news as current events, then go enjoy your
multi million dollar free hypervisor and command line tools ;)

If there is a time for paranoia, this is not that time.

Kindly,
--Tim



_______________________________________________
Xen-users mailing list
Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users