Re: [LIG] [ilugd] [x-posted] potentially-damaging news: Apple 'buys' CUPS

+++ vivek khurana [2007-07-12 22:53:33]:

> 
> --- Linux Lingam <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > apple has probably done 'a hostile takeover' of the
> > CUPS project, by
> > 'buying' the author.
> > 
> > apple also bought the GPL-ed software similarly,
> > that was the
> > precursor to 'shake' its video-compositing app.
> > 
> > can we expect several more of such similar 'hostile'
> > take-overs of
> > GPL-ed software where a lead-programmer essentially
> > has the right to
> > revoke the GPL license for whatever motivations?
> > 
> 
>  I dont think cups is project driven by single
> programmer. Apple hiring lead programmer presents no
> threat to the project as long as lead programmer is
> dedicated to the project. 
>  If lead programmer joining Apple is a 'takeover' then
> Google has taken over python long ago and M$ has taken
> over couple OSS projects. 
>  On the other hand if the project is run by a team of
> programmers then lead programmer can no way revoke the
> license of the software unless all the code
> contributors agree to revoke the license. 
>

Apple bought over the company that held all the copyrights to the CUPS code.
Individual contributors to the CUPS project had to handover copyrights to
that company for their patches to be accepted.(Similar to what FSF
recommends for their projects.)

Apple has already had a special clauses put into the license for CUPS on OS
X.(contributors didn't have to GPL their OS X specific drivers).

Now they can legally have an internal non-GPL fork/dual-licensed branch and
not share code with the community.

Kingsly
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