I see your comment at:
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=408930
and thought I would like to take the opportunity to explain the situation.
1) I started ChessDB before Pascal Georges started scid-pg, which he
later renamed to scid.
2) A lot of code from chessdb was taken and put into scid-pg, but *not*
acknowledged at all. I have posted a short list on a chess mailing list.
Several others have looked at this, and have commented that it is correct.
There are some tell-tale signs, like spelling errors that appeared in
chessdb, which later appeared in scid-pg, which the author claimed was
not taken from chessdb.
I have posted a partial list at:
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/rec.games.chess.computer/browse_frm/thread/658a58d9a17b9aaf/dcb9e3c5e4e7266a?lnk=st&q=scid+released&rnum=1&hl=en#dcb9e3c5e4e7266a
3) I changed the name of the executable from scid to chessdb, as I felt
this was only fair to Shane Hudson. It was not because I wanted to steal
his code, in fact quite the opposite. As several people have pointed out
on the scid mailing list, changing the name was sensible.
I point you to something written by someone on the scid mailing list:
http://www.mail-archive.com/scid-users@lists.sourceforge.net/msg00029.html
> I believe Dr. Kirby has been nothing but gracious and respectful
> of Shane's work.
>
> Read this from the opening screen of ChessDB:
>
> ChessDB is based on Scid - http://scid.sourceforge.net/
> but has new features, enhancements and bug-fixes.
> More than 90% of ChessDB's code comes from Scid.
> The main author of Scid was Shane Hudson.
> Shane is NOT responsible for any bugs in ChessDB
>
>
> Note the *last* line. *That* is the kindest gift we can
> give to Shane; acknowledge his work, but pin none of our
> faults on him. Similarly, changing the notices from scid to ChessDB
> is a courtesy not an insult.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeremy
4) Others have objected to the use of the name 'scid' whilst Pascal
Georges changed the direction of the program, well away from the
original authors direction.
5) I believe not only is taking of code from chessdb without
acknowledgment is a breach of the GPL, but also the fact he has "denied
me the right" to use any code based on his 'scid' - see:
http://www.mail-archive.com/scid-users@lists.sourceforge.net/msg00045.html
where he says "As chessDB is a fork of Scid (2004), and until anybody
else is better placed than me to continue Scid, I request things to be
strictly separated : given Kirkby's attitude, I hope he'll be honest
enough to continue his fork in a strict separated way than mine : I deny
him the right to use my own code, as I'll never use his own code"
(Of course the fact he has taken code from chessdb, without
acknowledgment, is a different matter).
I don't deny he has made useful changes to scid, but he has done so in a
way I that is against the GPL and against the spirit of free software.
I leave others to make up their own minds.
Dr. David Kirkby
--
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
