[OSGeo-Discuss] OSGeo/LocationTech relationship

[Daniel Morissette]

OSGeo vs LocationTech debate aside, I would like to point out that there 
are lots of people who make the choice of non-reciprocal licenses over 
reciprocal ones, and it is not by "fear" or because they misunderstand 
the way FOSS licenses work, it for other reasons that I don't ask 
pro-freedom people to agree with.

I for one have been making a living around FOSS for 20 years, and have 
contributed thousands of lines of codes myself and through people that I 
hired to work on various open source projects, and have my own reasons 
why I think that non-reciprocal is better. It is not because of fear or 
misunderstanding, it is for my own reasons and I do not force anyone to 
agree with me. The only thing that matters is that in the end some open 
source projects were better thanks to our contributions.

It would be great if we could all be more respectful of the position of 
other community members and avoid suggesting that they are wrong in 
their choices just because they view things from a different angle.

Thank you all, and let's hope we can see more positive discussions 
around here

Daniel

P.S. I also don't think that OSGeo, LocationTech or any other org can 
claim ownership of the "value of a community" of individuals, but I 
won't step into this debate since that is just a waste of time and energy.


On 2015-11-13 10:50 AM, Jody Garnett wrote:
> Comments inline:
>
>     For me this is a major outrage, but I understand that OSGeo is focused
>     on open software, not on free software. (Remember: free includes open,
>     open doesn't include free).
>
>
> As mentioned in my other email I am pragmatic, focused on what my
> customers want, or what the community I am working with is comfortable
> with. I find that GPL is loosing its teeth with all the server/cloud
> software in the mix, but have not found a rush of projects switching to
> AGPL ... yet.
>
>     So I would understand collaborations between LocationTech and OSGeo,
>     where open is the key and not freedom. And we have found a big
>     difference between both organizations: we are more open and more free.
>
>
> I should point out that OSGeo has a "any OSI approved license" policy
> and is decidedly not pro GPL. For that you want another foundation.
>
>     Maybe they still believe that they cannot do bussiness over GPL
>     derived licenses. And as wrong as they are, if their main focus is on
>     bussiness, it is understandable they are afraid of freedom.
>
>
> I think the "business" or "commercial friendly" terms are a problem
> here, the point of these licenses is not restricted to making money.
> Much of the software we do at Boundless is released under a GPL license
> - and I consider Boundless as a successful company. By the same token
> some software we work with (GeoTools, GeoGig) is released under a more
> permissive license - simply because we want to reach a larger audience.
>
> (So look to the intensions of those releasing the software - you are
> working with people and organizations after all).
>
>
> I want to be very clear here - as a member of the incubation committee:
> OSGeo is to be inclusive of all projects,
>
> I would hate to give the impression we were favouring GPL software. Not
> in the lest because GeoTools is LGPL for the very sensible reason that
> it was the most "business friendly" license at the time.
>
> So yeah, please dial it back a notch. You will find that Apache (another
> excellent foundation does not support GPL), I could go on but it is a
> tired refrain...
>
>
>
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>


-- 
Daniel Morissette
http://www.mapgears.com/
T: +1 418-696-5056 #201

http://evouala.com/ - Location Intelligence Made Easy