Keith Whitwell wrote:
>
> Sven Heyll wrote:
> >
> > On Wed, 26 Jan 2000, Hetz Ben Hamo wrote:
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > Well, as the title says - SGI has just released a sample implementation of
> > > OpenGL to the Open Source Community.
> > >
> > > URL:
> > >
>http://www.quicken.com/investments/news/story/pr/?story=/news/stories/pr/20000126/sfw052.htm&symbol=SGI
> > >
> > > Now the biggie question - are we going to modify soon the Matrox and other
> > > drivers to the OpenGL? will we leave Mesa out?? (Sorry if it's a stupid
> > > question).
> > I have this question too.
> >
> > I dont know if it is a stupid question, but I think that the Mesa
> > programmers should compare their implementaion with that from SGI, and
> > then take all that is better than Mesa. I dont think that the SGI
> > implementation has assembler optimations, and after all, it is just a
> > sample maybe it is not that good at all ?( I rather think it is very good)
> >
> > The stuff that might be interresting in my opinion are several SGI
> > extensions and texture stuff.
> >
>
> I think it is first necessary to evaluate the license that they have proposed
> and ensure that use of their code doesn't
> 'taint' the Mesa codebase. If we take their code, we get the license
> restrictions for free, and would need to add them to the Mesa license.
>
> Here's one - it's not immediately obvious if it is relevent, but it's not in
> our license now.
>
> > 3. No License For Hardware Implementations. The licenses granted in
> > Section 2.1 are not applicable to implementation in Hardware of the
> > algorithms embodied in the Original Code.
>
> Here's another one, which is reminiscent of the Java licenses:
>
> 4.Modifications License and API Compliance. Modifications are only licensed
> under Section 2.1(i) to the extent such Modifications are fully compliant with
> any API as may be identified in Additional Notice Provisions as appear in the
> Original Code.
>
> The license appears 'viral' in that incorporating SI code into Mesa would
> impose these constraints on Mesa.
>
Please note that I'm not condemning what SGI's done - it's long overdue in my
opinion. However there is a dense bit of legalese attached to it which I
don't fully understand the implications of, and would be happy to see
clarified.
Keith
_______________________________________________
Mesa-dev maillist - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://lists.mesa3d.org/mailman/listinfo/mesa-dev
