linux-kernel - Re: "GPL weasels and the atheros stink"

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Date:	Sun, 02 Sep 2007 14:46:53 -0400
From:	Jeff Garzik <jeff@...zik.org>
To:	"Jonathan A. George" <jageorge@...tin.rr.com>
CC:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: "GPL weasels and the atheros stink"

Jonathan A. George wrote:
> Question #1: Is it _ethical_ (legality aside) to take someone else's 
> actively maintained work (for example an OpenBSD driver) and make 
> changes which can not be shared/used by the original developer/maintainer?

This happens all the time.  It's called a fork.

Forks happen for good reasons, bad reasons, dumb reasons, and smart reasons.

Sometimes the useful changes can be shared back, and that's a good thing 
[for that situation].

Sometimes changes cannnot be shared back, and that's also a good thing 
[for that situation].

> Question #2: Is it _technically beneficial_ to branch an OSS work (for 
> example an OpenBSD driver) in such a way as to diminish the ability to 
> share contributions between projects?

Can only be answered on a case-by-case basis.

The reality OF THE CODE is such that *BSD and Linux share good SOLUTIONS 
quite often.  That's a benefit of open source.  And that's a good thing.

	Jeff

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