[Qgis-developer] ASPRS LWG chair opens can of QGIS and FOSS worms in latest column

[Martin Isenburg]

Hello folks,

for years I have enjoyed reading Lewis Graham's "Random Points" column in
the LiDAR News magazine. I usually get some novel insight or come across a
thought-provoking new concept and this month's column is especially
interesting. It mashes up the ongoing "LAZ clone" conflict that asks to
keep LiDAR stored in "open formats" with the practically related but
conceptually independent "open source" software movement.

The article revives Steve Ballmers “Linux is a cancer” mantra it talks
about how the GPL license is a "time-bomb" and makes Asia Air Survey - the
gold sponsor of QGIS - appear blue-eyed in their support of such a "viral
license". But it is probably best you read the entire two pages for
yourself.

http://twitter.com/LAStools/status/610057423672471552

As Lewis' opinions are regarded highly by the LiDAR and photogrammetry
industries (myself included) and as the first few paragraphs of this
widely-circulated LiDAR magazine article are a complete distortion of my
personal motivation on "open formats" that will directly hurt my
professional reputation, I have little choice but to respond with a
correction to his column. Let me know if you have any errata on Lewis'
comments about the danger of open source licenses that you want me to
include.

Regards,

Martin @rapidlasso
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