Re: Again: list of advantages of the xGPL

On Wed, 12 Jun 2002 17:56, Tony Lambregts wrote:

> Sean C. Farley wrote:
>
> >On Wed, 12 Jun 2002 18:54, Roland wrote:
> >
> [snip]
>
> >
> >>2) Prevent embrace and extend tactics. Imagine Linux being under
> >>X11.  I wouldn't feel comfortable thinking about the possibility of
> >>M$ using this tactic. They certainly have the cash to afford making
> >>their own fork, think about what happened with the Kerberos
> >>protocol.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >In regards to Linux, they could just pump a lot of money into the
> >FreeBSD project to compete with Linux.  This has not happened.  Also,
> >there is no point for Microsoft to actively embrace and extend any
> >other operating system.  It would only hurt their own sales.
> >
> >Besides, the GPL does not prevent embracing and extending the code
> >any more than it prevents forks.
> >
> Forks certainly can happen but the problem with embrace and extend
> tactics is that the extend is proprietory (closed source) and that
> can't happen under GPL.

With closed-source forks, it can happen.  Except for Microsoft's failed
attempt to do it to Kerberos, any other examples?  If Microsoft fails at
it, who would be able to succeed?

> >As for Kerberos, they could have done this easily be writing their
> >own implementation.  As you said (and I agree), they certainly have
> >the cash.
> >
> If Kerberos was GPL Microsoft would have a harder time of it. first
> off they would have to prove that they did not use the GPL source. Yes
> they have the money to start from scratch but why make it easier?

Why make it harder for everyone to use?

> GPL software is for all intents and purposes immune to embrace and
> extend tactics. Of course thats the reason that makers of proprietory
> software have a problem with it.

No.  It is not a reason.  They may which to extend it, but they are not
using "embrace and extend" tactics.  When people speak of those, they
are referring to companies that are using it to harm the open-source
project they copied the code from.  What companies have tried and
succeeded?

Sean
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