Hi Hannes,
Hannes Gredler writes:
> dinesh,
>
> why do you want to make actually the protocol dissector available then ?
>
> if you don't want to disclose information about the protocol
> then simply make your private build and don't submit anything to
> the public - fine; either you want to publish or not to publish;
But, I'd like to be able to put out dissectors for protocols to enable others
to troubleshoot networks which use these protocols. I see this of tremendous
benefit to Ethereal. Customers can debug their networks using freeware tools
instead of commercial tools. What does that say about public domain freeware ?
>
> requesting changing the licensing policy of something
> that was intended to the greater-good of all, just
> to protect something for benefit of few seems
> not reasonable to me;
The companies are sharing information: decoders for their proprietary
protocol. Nothing inside Ethereal itself is affected, just the plugin
interface.
There are existing cases which have nothing to do with patents, but
with the ability to link in code with other licenses such as Andrea's H.323
decoder which is also prevented by the existing license on the plugin.
>
> if private companies want to take advantage of open developments
> then they should comply to the licensing policy but don't try to
> change the rules, just because the product is good;
>
> sorry if my thoughts are too radical;
If as a philosophy, you oppose the change, I respect your wishes. I love public
domain software as well and think GPL has a lot to do with the state of how
much software has availability of source code. At the same time, I also work
for a company and understand their discomfort about losing their IPR. That is
their investment and IMHO, not very different from how you'd feel if a proposal
is made that threatens your economic existence.
Let me state again: releasing the source code for a proprietary protocol isn't
the problem. It is releasing it under GPL that has patent implications.
Dinesh
--
Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe