epiphany about the idea of the Foundation

[Adam]

Good call.  Strategically good choice.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary Watry" <watry at COAPS.FSU.EDU>
To: <MAPSERVER-USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 1:29 PM
Subject: [UMN_MAPSERVER-USERS] epiphany about the idea of the Foundation


> Being as this is a non-profit open source Foundation, I hope that we will
> ask the other commercial Internet map software companies to join the
> Foundation in the same manner as AutoDesk.
>
> This should include ESRI, Integraph, Microstation, MapInfo, DeLorme, etc
etc
>
> Anyone who has a vested interest in Internet Mapping should be asked to
> contribute and participate. If they opt not to - fine - but then they are
on
> record for choosing not to play
>
> But then the contributors could insure their other products were
compatible
> with MapServer(OS) and that it was compatible with their products.
>
> The two fold benefit to this is
> 1. the foundation will not be concieved as a partner to Autodesk
> 2. Autodesk or no other Commercial company will control the Foundation
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Gary L. Watry
>
> GIS Coordinator
> Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies
> FSU / COAPS
> Johnson Building, RM 215
> 2035 East Paul Dirac Drive
> Tallahassee, Florida 32306-2840
>
> E-Mail: watry at coaps.fsu.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: UMN MapServer Users List [mailto:MAPSERVER-USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU] On
> Behalf Of Lester Caine
> Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 2:06 PM
> To: MAPSERVER-USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU
> Subject: Re: [UMN_MAPSERVER-USERS] current OS license
>
> Charlton Purvis wrote:
>
> > Hi, folks:
> >
> > Although there continues to be an open source spirit surrounding the
code
> > amid the launch of a MS Foundation, I'd like to ask for clarification
re.
> > the license of the MS code as it stands now.
> >
> > If for whatever reason a company like Autodesk (or I guess it would have
> to
> > be the Foundation) wanted to slap some kind of non-open source license
on
> > the code, is it true that the current code we call MapServer in its
> current
> > state will always remain covered under the license below?  Basically I'm
> > trying to make sure that a shop can't somehow repossess something that
was
> > originally OS thus preventing folks from using it like it's being used
> now.
>
> Borland tried it with Interbase, but Firebird is now freely available
> and there is not a lot Borland can now do about it ;)
> I am sure Autocad have a 'hidden agenda' but as long as there are free
> versions of what ever is needed to provide a working system then there
> will not be a problem. Anything commercial will have to be worth the
> money to make any sales :)
>
> p.s. I am not seeing my posts to the list so if you get this Charlton
> and it's not on the list please can you forward it :(
>
> -- 
> Lester Caine
> -----------------------------
> L.S.Caine Electronic Services
> Treasurer - Firebird Foundation Inc.
>