Title: RE: [Ethereal-dev] Request: Change the allowed license of plugins
It may be interesting to note that the Linux kernel has the sort of provision Dinesh is suggesting. It allows proprietary device drivers to be written for the kernel.
Personally, I'd rather see the plugin decoder in source code form, and I still disagree that this would invalidate the patent. (BTW: IANAL!)
If the plugin is on the other side of a socket, as Brad Hards suggests, the decoder can be binary, and the GPL does not apply.
-----Original Message-----
From: ddutt@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddutt@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2002 3:52 PM
To: Ronnie Sahlberg
Cc: Devin Heitmueller; Gerald Combs; Brad Hards;
ethereal-dev@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Ethereal-dev] Request: Change the allowed license of
plugins
Hi Ronnie,
What drawbacks do you see in changing the plugin license ? I haven't been able
to make out what your worries are. Can you repeat them to me one more time ?
As to the real benefits for changing it, I see :
- Ethereal gets a bunch of decoders for proprietary protocols which trumps
over other commercially available analyzers.
- Decoders such as H.323 developed by Andrea can be used with Ethereal.
Thanks,
Dinesh
Ronnie Sahlberg writes:
> After thinking it over I like the current licence and can currently not see
> any real
> benefits at all from changing it. I can only see drawbacks.
>
>
> I cant see how the current licence is an ethereal problem.
> I dont see any problems with the licence.
>
--
Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
_______________________________________________
Ethereal-dev mailing list
Ethereal-dev@xxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.ethereal.com/mailman/listinfo/ethereal-dev