nanogui: Request for comments - Microwindows
Subject:
Re: Request for comments - Microwindows
From:
Alex Holden ####@####.####
Date:
4 Oct 1999 21:17:03 -0000
Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.4.04.9910042156340.478-100000@hyperspace>
On Mon, 4 Oct 1999, Bradley D. LaRonde wrote:
> So if I'm understanding you right, you are saying that we might have an
> opportunity with Micro* to do something similar, but only if we GPL the
> server part (or maybe LGPL?), but definately not MPL it. Is that right?
Because of the restrictive nature of the GPL, you can't legally link
proprietory code into it. The Linux kernel on Intel PCs, with millions of
potential users, is just starting to become popular enough that we can
actually force some hardware vendors to release specs to allow a GPLed
driver to be written, or to even write a GPLed driver themselves. Up till
fairly recently, and with less common hardware, this didn't usually work,
and a lot of hardware had to be reverse engineered. How long do you think
it'll be before Nano-X on Foo obscure Palmtop or embedded system has
enough millions of users for a hardware manufacturer to be forced into
releasing a GPLed driver or specs for somebody to write a GPLed driver for
it? Roughly never?
--------------- Linux- the choice of a GNU generation. --------------
: Alex Holden (M1CJD)- Caver, Programmer, Land Rover nut, Radio Ham :
-------------------- http://www.linuxhacker.org/ --------------------
