On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 8:01 AM, Cor Nouws <oo...@nouenoff.nl> wrote: > Did you ever think about time and money that Sun Microsystems did and now > Oracle does invest in OpenOffice.org, that you can just download for free, > several new versions a year, as much as you want?
There is an issue with the JCA/SCA. Some people complained when it was still Sun, but with Oracle it's worse. All code contributed to the project is shared with Oracle. Oracle owns it and can use all the code in a closed source project. That means Oracle can use the LPGLed code and dual licence it in a closed way, without asking anyone. So, if Oracle loses money, it can make something like it's doing with OpenSolaris. It won't "kill" the project, but can invest heavily on features only on the StarOffice side. Porting to the OOo suite (LGPLing it) months latter or not porting some parts at all. Who will want to contribute to someone who makes money from your work, for free? Even in the actual scenario, some pleople may consider contributing code to the Oracle. Giving your code for free in such a way you can't regret or revoke. Just a consideration about open source licences. You can open source it, but it still YOUR code. It never will become anyone codes. The other people can use, alter, distribute, even they can use a COMPATIBLE licence if you let. The JCA/SCA means the code is not only yours, it's Oracle's code too. The same way you can close the source of your code or dual licence (tri-licence, et all), Oracle can do it too. It can close the source and *sell* the closed source to third parties. While LPGL means the LPGLed code will be free forever, they can get the LGPLed code and not contribute with LGPL anymore (since they OWN the code and can relicence it). So, after that point, they can make all efforts on the closed side and open the source if and when they want. So... considering the contributors on code inside and outside Oracle, what would happen to the project? Being an open project means we should have no fear on opening it all and investing on an OOo Foundation. Where some kind of JCA would still be applicable, but with the owner clearly not going to close the source. Not leveraging on JCA/SCA with Oracle to contribute, would free the contributors and would increase true community participation. There is a lot of people from the community which contribute to the project even with the JCA, but there are some people who doesn't. Also being free from Oracle would make it easier to fix on the community needings and that kind of "open" development would attract more contributors. Just my 2 cents. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@marketing.openoffice.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@marketing.openoffice.org
