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Date:      Mon, 27 Sep 1999 22:56:38 -0600
From:      Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com>
To:        Greg Lehey <grog@lemis.com>
Cc:        dev_webmaster@sgi.com, FreeBSD advocacy list <FreeBSD-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG>, advocacy@NetBSD.org, advocacy@OpenBSD.org
Subject:   Re: Tom Mead's article at  http://www.sgi.com/developers/oss/sgi_resources/feature2.html
Message-ID:  <37F04A86.C9944B01@softweyr.com>
References:  <19990927103623.X46202@freebie.lemis.com>

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Greg Lehey wrote:
> 
> I can't find any feedback addresses on your web site, so I'm asking
> you to forward this to Tom Mead:

Furthermore, I quote from the article:

    Marker said, "There are two models of unified development that result 
    in a common infrastructure. The first model is an autocratic model. In 
    an autocracy, a products' non-fragmented integrity is ensured by the 
    top-down imposition of developmental structure, cohesion, and conformity
    enforced by an internal, non-democratic authority structure.

What happens to the development when the the structure is imposed not by
an autocracy, but rather by a single autocrat?  The system continues to
reflect only what he thinks is important, rather than what the ultimate
users really want.  This certainly describes the current development
model for Linux to a T.

You further take up space to outline the goals of the Open Source Initiative:

The Open Source rules are: 

   o Full, open release of the source code 
 * o Unfettered redistribution of the code 
   o The integrity of the author's source code must be maintained 
 * o Permit derived works 
   o Unfettered distribution of license 
   o License must be specific to a product 
 * o License must not contaminate other software 
   o The code redistribution's may not contain clauses that discriminate 
     - Against persons or groups 
 *   - Against fields of endeavor 

Despite the rambling justifications of Bruce Perens, it is obvious to the 
most casual observer that the GNU Public License does NOT meet the require-
ments of the Open Source Definition I have highlighted above with asterisks.
In point of fact, the first two requirements are in contention with each
other, since "unfettered" redistribution of the code would allow distribution
in binary form, disallowed by the requirement for source release.

-- 
            "Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"

Wes Peters                                                         Softweyr LLC
wes@softweyr.com                                           http://softweyr.com/


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