Re: [myhdl-list] Proposal to change license of wwww.myhdl.org

[Tom D. <td...@di...>]

Hi all,

I have been trying to follow this discussion but have really lost track 
of the problem, if there ever was one.

I find MyHDL very useful and have done many presentations that have 
included references to how I use it in my design flow.

The open license is a major advantage and I would not like to have it 
any other way.

Tom



On 05/02/2011 05:02 PM, Jan Decaluwe wrote:
> On 05/02/2011 04:45 PM, Christopher Lozinski wrote:
>>> Let's see, what problem could that be?
>> MyHDL is not going anywhere fast.  Of course just this morning that
>> lovely Spanish introductory python material showed up, as if to
>> disprove my beliefs.  But the larger issues is still there.  The
>> class libraries, the board interfaces, the test cases are just not
>> there.    To be specific, it does not have the functionality I need
>> to build my project.  And nothing visible is happening on the mailing
>> list.
>>
>>> Right from the start, you made it very clear that you were looking
>>> for a closed-source project.
>> That is not entirely correct.  I rather like the idea of the core
>> being LGPL, meaning you are not allowed to make money reselling it.
>> I like the idea of the class libraries and content being more open,
>> like Zope public libraries, meaning you are allowed to resell them.
> This illustrates very well why it so tiresome to discuss
> with you. You change opinions all the time, without getting
> the basic facts right.
>
> Now you suddenly like the LGPL. I guess I should be happy,
> but I'm not. You were against it for the wrong reasons, and now
> you like it, also for the wrong reasons.
>
> The difference between (L)GPL and "public" licenses is not that
> you are allowed to resell or not. If you manage to sell (L)GPL
> licensed software for millions of dollars, I think you would
> instantly become Richard Stallman's biggest hero. The ultimate
> proof of his concept. (It may not be easy, but that is really a
> different issue.)
>
> The difference is whether you can close the source of a modified
> version, or not. With (L)GPL you cannot, with "public"
> licenses you can. In the worst case, if two projects are
> based on my codebase, and mine stays open and yours is closed,
> you could start making legal troubles about my project, based
> on my own hard work. That is why I don't like "public"
> licenses (and why I think Richard Stallman is a genius, for
> making free software *feasible*.)
>
>>> Actually, some went to work immediately with considerable efforts.
>>>
>> Let me correct you.  Chris Felton and Jan Coombs, did brilliant
>> work, but we later learned we were working under different
>> assumptions.
> Such an unfortunate order of events should be avoided.
>
>>> There must be something in your approach that they dislike very
>>> much.
>> That is very clear to me.  There are those, Richard Stallman
>> included, who do not like companies make money off their software,
>> and so despite the good marketing name, "open source",  they close
>> the source to commercial use.   Coming from the Zope community, I had
>> not understood how strong those sentiments were.
> Again, the facts are wrong. (L)GPL is not about closing
> the source to commercial use. It is about keeping the source,
> and its derivatives, open to any use.
>
> Anyway, you suggest that the reason why people over here dislike
> your approach is that they are "open-source heroes". Perhaps,
> I don't know. I would be really surprized though, and my
> guess is the reasons are much more down-to-earth.
>
>> But in this case, we have a problem, that MyHDL is not growing as
>> fast as we would like, and furthermore, the class libraries and test
>> harnesses are barely there.   They certainly do not meet my needs.
>>
>> I am just pointing out a problem.  Please do not shoot the messenger.
>> I would appreciate it if those who  agreed with my position would
>> also speak up.
> The diagnosis is not really the problem. I have posted a similar one
> on April 4 myself, so I have no intention to shoot the messenger.
>
>>> The real question is how it is even possible to waste so much
>>> goodwill in such a small period of time.
>> I like the saying, "Hard on issues, soft on people".  Please let us
>> stay focused on what it takes to build MyHDL into the thriving
>> community that it deserves to be.  Let us figure out what strong
>> medicine this weak patient needs.  I am sorry if strong medicine
>> tastes bad.
> A bad taste doesn't make it a strong medicine.
>