Re: Again: list of advantages of the xGPL

Marco Pietrobono <[email protected]> wrote:
> > So the embrace and extend tactic is harder with GPL code than with BSD code,
> > but not impossible.  But given that Microsoft has repeatedly used this tactic
> > against other commercial developers, it doesn't seem that the GPL would be
> > much of a deterrent.

> I don't agree.
> 
>   Embrace and Extends works by copying something and extending it with
> UNDISCLOSED functionality.

It is most EFFECTIVE when you don't disclose it, but it doesn't REQUIRE it.
Look at word's .doc format.  Many people just got tired of M$ constantly
changing .doc format and have their wordprocessor (wordperfect, insert
other WPs here) break until the next version where it could read the .doc
files again.  Even *IF* M$ disclosed the format, it still wouldn't eliminate
(it would shorten) this breaking lag.
 
> If they try this with a GPL codebase they need to release their code
> to their users, and this means that all their extensions are fully
> disclosed and therefore they can be added to the original codebase too.

You *missed* the entire point.  If the codebase of GPLed, what M$ would do
is "reverse engineer" the code (have one programmer describe the code to
another) and recreate the new source.  This code is NOT have GPL on it, so
they don't have to release the code and can do with that as they wish.
Sure, this is more effort on their part, but it's certainly something they
could do.

-r