From: Luis Lavena <luislavena@...>
Date: 2008-01-02T21:44:59+09:00
Subject: Re: More Windows Ruby stuff (was Re: Zed Shaw - Ruby has dodged a 	bullet)

On 2 ene, 10:00, Michal Suchanek <hramr...@centrum.cz> wrote:
> On 02/01/2008, Luis Lavena <luislav...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > The problem with that is some of the hardware (the real hardware in
> > charge of stream the content to your tv, either in analog or digital
> > way) works on Windows. There are some comapnies just starting using
> > Linux as platform to develop their drivers, but the viral nature of
> > GPL and some zealots make them keep that secret.
>
> > You see, these companies invest a huge amount of money creating
> > hardware, but there are also other companies that do the same -- there
> > is some competition. Some ppl demand (yeah, demand) comapnies should
> > release the source code of they propietary hardware, just to be
> > allowed enter the linux community. That will impact on their
> > investment.
>
> Well, some jerks might demand whatever they wish. However, GPL
> requires that the source code of the software is released, not sources
> of the hardware. I know many hardware vendors feel that releasing the
> drivers might reveal too much about their solution and might put them
> at disadvantage or even risk of patent suits (as it is harder to claim
> patents against something completely unknown than something partially
> known). Still Linus made an exception for driver modules: only the
> changes to the Linux core that are needed to make the driver work with
> the kernel have to be released, the driver itself can be kept
> proprietary. And all this only applies if they want to sell the
> hardware. As long as they keep it for themselves they need not release
> anything.
>

Err, bad typing, I meant 'propietary software' not hardware :-)

> I do not want to judge the arguments against releasing the source of
> the drivers, sometimes it is even legally impossible because of
> government regulations (when dealing with radio and possible
> interference with reserved frequencies). Arguing with GPL when
> speaking against using Linux is complete nonsense, though, There might
> be reasons, and good reasons but this is not one of them.
>

I just tried to show just one point about that, but is not the whole
picture.
(After all, wasn't about Windows, Ruby Windows or whatever else the
real topic of this thread).

> Thanks

Thank you for sharing your thoughts Michal,

Regards and have a nice week.

--
Luis Lavena