Re: licensing

Hi Jeff,

I'm trying to follow this, but not getting some of the logic here.

Pointing this out so you can please clarify for me.  :)

(Oh, btw using asterix's around something in email is what turns on 
*bold* for email clients like Mozilla.  Hope that's helpful.)


Jeff Kinz wrote:
<snip>
>>Point me to a list that shows that Linux has been ported to more platforms
>>than *BSD. From my last count, NetBSD supports over 55 different hardware
>>platforms (and many of the individual NetBSD ports support multiple
>>architectures too).
<snip>
> If NetBSD has been ported to it then Linux is there as well. All 55
> times.
<snip>
 > So - now we have NetBsd - 55 and Linux 55
<snip>

This is the bit I don't get.  The "platforms it's been ported to" bit.

NetBSD is shown to have support for 55 platforms, but Linux isn't. 
Linux is shown to have a higher "market share".

Please connect the logic for me here.  :)

<snip>
> Um - Ok, but the issue being discussed is what License would be better
> to use for south Africa Gov't - GPL or BSD ?

An area that needs looking into in this regards is the cost of license 
maintenance for a default policy of "using BSD" vs "using GPL".

Do you feel there would be higher license tracking and maintenance costs 
for GPL or for BSD?  Any thoughts on how we could get something going to 
concretely track this either way.


>>It is true that Linux gets more media attention and I am sure Linux is
>>used by more end-users. I don't think this is related to the exact license
>>itself.
> 
> It certainly is.  For example Telestra of Australia is converting
> hundreds of thousands of desktops to Linux - Why - because its a 
> true Open Source computing platform that cannot be "Locked in"
> BSD allows lock in and that is what business see as a major problem
> after having been tied to the Microsoft platform for so long.

This is incorrect.  Telstra of Australia is *100%* definitely not 
converting hundreds of thousands of desktops to Linux, nor the 45,000 
mentioned in your slides.

They are *trialling* some applications of Linux for *very specific* 
targetted end user roles.


> Here is a presentation I gave at MIT recently
> see: http://www.ocean-usa.org/oitc/event329.php
> Look for the link on the right hand side that says "Jeff Kinz's slides"

Oh dear.  Those slides are in MS PowerPoint format.  Hope you did them 
with OpenOffice.org.  PDF output next time?  :)

It does cover some major points of Linux.  Personally it's incorrect 
where it says that one of the costs of Reliability is "lowered morale 
(except for hourly contractors)."

The "except for hourly contractors" bit is incorrect.  No decent hourly 
contractor (the vast majority here in Australia) likes downtime, as it's 
inconvenient and makes it harder to reach target milestones on time. 
Exactly the same as for normal salaried employees!  The alternative view 
that downtime/reliability-problems are good because they mean the 
contractor get's paid more is just a cynical (theoretical) viewpoint 
that's very rarely evident in the real world.

Anyway, your presentation covers Linux specific stuff and does some 
initial benefits of OSS Licensing vs proprietory.  Nothing really useful 
here of trying to decide a default OSS license for South Africa.

It may even be most beneficial for the South African government to 
create their own tailored license that specifically addresses their needs.

Hope this is helpful.

Regards and best wishes,

Justin Clift