If the EMC2 GPL is honored, then EMC2 remains what it always has been - freely available open source software.
If I make a CNC console and retrofit a machine with my console and EMC2, then I can charge for the console and the retrofit service but not for the software. Also, the end user must have access to the EMC2 source code. In most cases this is a non issue because businesses that employ machinging as part of their process are usually don't care about the details that make the machine work. What they really care about is does the machine work, is it reasonably easy to use, is it dependable and is there support to provide troubleshooting and repair reasonably quickly and economically. If a business entity owned something they created (a CNC console, a stand alone GUI (created from scratch - not a modification of one of the interfaces covered by the GPL), the service of integrating controls to machines, etc.) and they were able to generate a profit selling what they owned while giving away what they did not own (GPL licensed software) then that business would probably budget some of it's resources for EMC2 improvements and fixes. Any improvements and fixes to the GPL licensed software should be posted to the EMC2 website for anyone interested in the project to share. EMC2 would potentially realize greater development in a shorter amount of time because programming improvements and fixes were, in some cases, being driven by the needs of paying customers. Wouldn't this be a win for the development of EMC2? Anonymous Investor has articulated the same thoughts that I have put forth for discussion in the past. I have been working towards these goals and have realized some progress. There are two software programmers with real world CNC experience that are involved with EMC2 because I introduced them to the software and spent time explaining the software's capabilities and potential. I provided the airfare for one of those programmers to attend this years EMC2 Fest. I am in the process of developing a relationship with a third programmer with Linux experience and enthusiasm and real world electrical / electronic engineering capabilities. I attended this year's EMC2 Fest and met with Stuart. Stuart and I may have some business opportunities (unrelated to EMC2, mechanical device stuff) that we will pursue and hopefully realize a profit. We already know that some of the profits from Stuart's business assist in the testing and development of EMC2. Has this hurt EMC2? Would it hurt EMC2 if another business was functioning like Stuart's (making a profit and using some of the proceeds to advance EMC2)? Perhaps instead of fearing an unknown difficulty resulting from the involvement of businesses, businesses could be coached on how to join the project and the community in such a way as to preserve and advance EMC2 as a free and open software package. Imagine the potential benefit of a few or even several businesses assisting EMC2 like Stuart's. I aspire to achieve that. I would welcome any coaching that would enable me to understand how to participate with but not violate the EMC2 GPL. Have a good day, Jim Fleig 585 975-9618 On Dec 9, 2010, at 12:50 AM, Edward Bernard <yankeelena2...@yahoo.com> wrote: > I'm surprised there were no comments on this. I'm wondering how such > a venture > could effect our beloved software. > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Anonymous Investor <backgroundpart...@gmail.com> > To: emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > Sent: Wed, December 8, 2010 9:10:13 AM > Subject: [Emc-users] Expansion of EMC > > *Business Opportunity related to EMC2* > > EMC2 may be well written CNC control software, but it does not > appear to be > making progress entering mainstream applications. We believe that the > largest impediment to success is the lack of a full scope supplier. > We feel > that the mainstream machine builder community, meaning hobby, > professional, > and OEM, remains outside the open source community. Furthermore, we > feel > that the solution is not to try and bring machine builders into the > open > source community, but rather to bring complete solutions to machine > builders. We propose the creation of a company which delivers EMC > based > solutions, essentially the Red Hat of CNC. To that end, we will > finance > such a company. > > > > *Perspective:* > > There are quite a few hobby oriented suppliers, based on Mach3, > TurboCAD, > and other solutions, which offer everything including ballscrews, > motors, > drivers, and circuit boards. These companies serve their customers > well, > but they do not come up to the level of professionalism that is > necessary to > attract serious commercial machine builders. > > > > There are mid-level suppliers, such as Flashcut, CamSoft, or > Centroid, which > offer reasonable value but cannot provide the security, vendor > independence, > or continuity of supply, which would be available with a more open > technology. Of course the 800 lb gorilla is Fanuc, having sold 2.2 > million > control systems. While offering the ultimate in performance, Fanuc > solutions come with minimum vendor independence and dismal ROI for > those > only needed mid-level performance. > > > > We believe a full service, professional grade supplier, offering > complete > control systems solutions, can be an effective competitor and is > sorely > needed by all levels of machine builders. We are not proposing open > source > hardware, but rather combining open source software with support and > conventional industrial components to develop full spectrum > solutions. This > is not a matter of welcoming machine builders into the open source > community; rather it is an issue of bringing the resources and value > of open > source to the market, offering attractive ROI to both customers and > investor. > > > > *Details and How to Proceed:* > > We are looking to invest in a start-up business which meets the > general > goals as outlined above. We will provide the majority of capital and > mentoring as needed. We will not participate in, nor attempt to > control, > the day to day activities of the business. If you want this to be > your > start-up business, submit a business plan to the email of Anonymous > Investor > at the address [backgroundpartner at gmail.com]. All submissions will > remain confidential. There are many resources available for > guidance on the > development of a business plan, Google it. There is no specific > timeline > for this venture, but we will keep it open for at least 2 months. > This is > not a contest; it’s an investment and a partnership. A credible pla > n may be > reviewed with suggestions for improvement. We have limited time for > dialog > and are unlikely to answer email from those with idle curiosity. > > > > *Anti-Spam and Scam Issues:* > > The legitimacy of this opportunity should speak for itself. This > offer is > only going out to the EMC email list and at no time will we ask for > money, > deposits, or personal financial information. Our anonymity will be > removed > for those whose negotiations appear credible and who sign non- > disclosure > agreement. > > > > Yours, > > > > Anonymous Investor > --- > --- > --- > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > What happens now with your Lotus Notes apps - do you make another > costly > upgrade, or settle for being marooned without product support? Time > to move > off Lotus Notes and onto the cloud with Force.com, apps are easier > to build, > use, and manage than apps on traditional platforms. Sign up for the > Lotus > Notes Migration Kit to learn more. http://p.sf.net/sfu/salesforce-d2d > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > > > > --- > --- > --- > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF Dev2Dev email is sponsored by: > > WikiLeaks The End of the Free Internet > http://p.sf.net/sfu/therealnews-com > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This SF Dev2Dev email is sponsored by: WikiLeaks The End of the Free Internet http://p.sf.net/sfu/therealnews-com _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
