[OSGeo-Discuss] Lidar News magazine false statements on (L)GPL (Was [OSGeo-Standards] REPORT: my OGC membership slot)

[Dirk Frigne]

I also have read the article.
There are even more things not true.
One of the always returning issues is the misunderstanding of the word free.

In particular, GPL based code could be used to make the open source
community stronger. Osgeo can play a role here for Geo based software.
It is very clear who is the  co-owner of a peace of software, as
everything is publicly open and published.

I think the best way to respond is using the right to answer.
Jo, I think contacting the magazine is a good Idea. Can you do that?


I agree we should involve the free software foundation. IMHO [1] are in
a good place to respond.
We can get into contact trough [2].


Practical question:
a) is there already somebody active on this list [1]?
b) if not, are there any volunteers?
c) without any response, I will take action to subscribe on list [2]


D.

[1]     https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:LibrePlanet_Rapid_Responders
[2]     http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fsf-community-team

On 21-09-15 11:52, Jo Cook wrote:
> I think this is something that we at OSGeo should definitely respond to.
> Perhaps we could contact the magazine and explain that there were some
> factual errors in the article, and ask for a chance to respond?
> 
> Jo
> 
> On Mon, Sep 21, 2015 at 10:38 AM, Johan Van de Wauw
> <johan.vandewauw at gmail.com <mailto:johan.vandewauw at gmail.com>> wrote:
> 
>     On Fri, Sep 18, 2015 at 6:31 PM, Martin Isenburg
>     <martin.isenburg at gmail.com <mailto:martin.isenburg at gmail.com>> wrote:
> 
>     > Another curious thing is that I (and the open source license LGPL) was
>     > attacked vehemently in a recent column called "Open Source Mania"
>     by Lewis
>     > Graham that was published in the LiDAR News magazine. Viewer
>     discretion
>     > advised and parental guidance suggested ... you will not like this FUD
>     > attack:
>     >
>     >
>     http://www.lidarmag.com/PDF/LiDARNewsMagazine_Graham-OpenSourceMania_Vol5No4.pdf
>     >
> 
>     I read the article and there are a lot of statements there which are
>     false.
>     " if you touch a piece of GPL code with the nine foot pole of
>     launching it with a Python script, that script must now be GPLed"
>     not true
> 
>     "Suppose you have developed some very, very clever algorithm on which
>     you and your university have applied for a patent. If you have coded
>     your algorithm and used any GPL whatsoever, you just GPLed your
>     patent. The patent rights effectively transfer to the Open Software
>     Foundation for free distribution."
> 
>     Completely untrue. The Open Software Foundation does not exist. You
>     don't transfer patent rights at all. A well known counter-example is
>     the algortihm for MP3, where the code (lame) was released under LGPL.
> 
>     I think as OSGeo we should reply to the statements, this is an attack
>     on our community. Perhaps we can ask someone from the Free Software
>     Foundation Europe to help write a response?
> 
>     Kind Regards,
>     Johan
>     _______________________________________________
>     Discuss mailing list
>     Discuss at lists.osgeo.org <mailto:Discuss at lists.osgeo.org>
>     http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> ***Jo Cook*
> Astun Technology Ltd, The Coach House, 17 West Street, Epsom, Surrey,
> KT18 7RL, UK
> t:+44 7930 524 155
> iShare - Data integration and publishing platform
> <http://www.isharemaps.com/>
> 
> *****************************************
> 
> Company registration no. 5410695. Registered in England and Wales.
> Registered office: 120 Manor Green Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 8LN VAT no.
> 864201149.
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> 

-- 
Yours sincerely,


ir. Dirk Frigne
CEO

Geosparc n.v.
Brugsesteenweg 587
B-9030 Ghent
Tel: +32 9 236 60 18
GSM: +32 495 508 799

http://www.geomajas.org
http://www.geosparc.com