epiphany about the idea of the Foundation

[Frank Warmerdam]

On 11/29/05, John Craddock <john.craddock at xitech.com.au> wrote:
> Here we go, membership of the foundation: the MapServer community is just about to morph into a clone of the Open Design Alliance (nee Open DWG Alliance). The spin doctors are really at it!

John,

The Open Design Alliance does some good things, but is does not use
an open source license for it's code, and ultimately winds itself in all sorts
of knots to ensure enough money coming in to support development.  I
can respect that but there is no way I want us to be anything like that.

Frankly, I don't see how we could end up the same as long as we are
using true open source licenses for the code.

> How about MTSC and AutoDesk publishing the hard copy of this deal instead of eking it out in disjointed discussion emails.

I signed an NDA, and I (virtually) signed the open letter.
There is no other "deal".   Just getting agreement on the open
letter as a statement of intent was tough enough!

> The plot thickens, no membership, no voice.

I agree that we need membership, and they need to be
in control.

> Nothing has been written that assuages the reverse takeover theorem.

Well, clearly this is a community with active antibodies
against anything that smells like "takeover", so I don't
think there is much danger.  But if we want this to be
our foundation, we all need to make it happen.

Best regards,
--
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for Rent