Comments on: OSCON Open Source license obsolete? http://www.lazycoder.com/weblog/2006/07/26/oscon-open-source-license-obsolete/ Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:08:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Scott http://www.lazycoder.com/weblog/2006/07/26/oscon-open-source-license-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-35094 Scott Wed, 26 Jul 2006 21:09:09 +0000 http://www.lazycoder.com/weblog/index.php/archives/2006/07/26/oscon-open-source-license-obsolete/#comment-35094 Here's a little better (and shorter) explanation of what Tim was saying. "Maybe a little overstated in its statement, what Tim is saying is that Open Source licenses become irrelevant if the code is changed and run on web server somewhere, and it never redistributed. The community needs to create a similar definition for Open Services." http://bhansley.blogspot.com/2006/07/oscon-06-day-3-morning_26.html Here’s a little better (and shorter) explanation of what Tim was saying.
“Maybe a little overstated in its statement, what Tim is saying is that Open Source licenses become irrelevant if the code is changed and run on web server somewhere, and it never redistributed. The community needs to create a similar definition for Open Services.”
http://bhansley.blogspot.com/2006/07/oscon-06-day-3-morning_26.html

]]> By: Scott http://www.lazycoder.com/weblog/2006/07/26/oscon-open-source-license-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-35093 Scott Wed, 26 Jul 2006 21:03:31 +0000 http://www.lazycoder.com/weblog/index.php/archives/2006/07/26/oscon-open-source-license-obsolete/#comment-35093 Well, he wasn't saying that the current web apps make the GPL and such obsolete. He was pointing out that the users don't need to install the web applications on their machine, they can just run them over the web. As a consequence, fewer and fewer web apps are being Open Sourced. There needs to be a GPL type license that covers these types of applications. Perhaps some kind of "Open API license" that would allow you to create derivatives based on the available API as long as you maintain the same API. I don't know. Another key point he made is in some cases, the value of the web app comes from the number of users using it. If Flickr were open source and you could download the code and install it on your system, what would differentiate it from iPhoto or Picassa? Mainly the limited UI. What makes Flickr useful is the social aspect, which means lots of users, which means lots of infrastructure, which means lots of cost. More on the idea of "Open infrastructure" here. http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2006/07/the_rise_of_open_infrastructur.html Well, he wasn’t saying that the current web apps make the GNU General Public License'>GPL and such obsolete. He was pointing out that the users don’t need to install the web applications on their machine, they can just run them over the web. As a consequence, fewer and fewer web apps are being Open Sourced. There needs to be a GNU General Public License'>GPL type license that covers these types of applications. Perhaps some kind of “Open API license” that would allow you to create derivatives based on the available API as long as you maintain the same API. I don’t know.

Another key point he made is in some cases, the value of the web app comes from the number of users using it. If Flickr were open source and you could download the code and install it on your system, what would differentiate it from iPhoto or Picassa? Mainly the limited UI. What makes Flickr useful is the social aspect, which means lots of users, which means lots of infrastructure, which means lots of cost. More on the idea of “Open infrastructure” here. http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2006/07/the_rise_of_open_infrastructur.html

]]> By: Haacked http://www.lazycoder.com/weblog/2006/07/26/oscon-open-source-license-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-35089 Haacked Wed, 26 Jul 2006 20:02:14 +0000 http://www.lazycoder.com/weblog/index.php/archives/2006/07/26/oscon-open-source-license-obsolete/#comment-35089 Interesting. But I fail to see how the current crop of web apps obsolete open source licenses. It's an easy question. Is the source code freely available under an open source license? If not, then it's not an Open Source application. I think what Tim should be pointing out is that there is a new arena for openness that needs new licensing terms. To me, Flickr is an "Open Data" application. I can put data in and freely get my data out. It's perpendicular to the issue of whether or not it is Open Source. Interesting. But I fail to see how the current crop of web apps obsolete open source licenses. It’s an easy question. Is the source code freely available under an open source license? If not, then it’s not an Open Source application.

I think what Tim should be pointing out is that there is a new arena for openness that needs new licensing terms. To me, Flickr is an “Open Data” application. I can put data in and freely get my data out.

It’s perpendicular to the issue of whether or not it is Open Source.

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