• From: San Antonio, TX
  • Registered: 2005-05-15
  • Posts: 480

Topic: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

Have you guys seen this nonsense?
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I've always been lax about licenses and have even contributed code to projects that I knew would be GPL'd but these guys are sick and dangerous. Basically an OpenBSD developer who was working on a broadcom wireless driver, used the GPL'd Linux driver as a reference to start with. To fill in incomplete parts of his code he used a few small functions from the Linux driver as stubs and then the developer of the Linux driver goes blasting emails to everyone on his contact list accusing this guy of 'eye pee' infringement. I'm so going to being getting rid of any Linux boxes I currently have and will be avoiding anything remotely GPL'd from now on. These asshats need to be segregated for everyone's own good.

... and then they said "I bet you can't make MINIX kernel panic!!!" And that's when I got mad

KernelPanicked's Website

  • From: Europe
  • Registered: 2006-12-29
  • Posts: 233

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

http://article.gmane.org/gmane.os.openbsd.misc/121329

Yes read it, some trollish behaviour to bad-mouth OBSD or BSD in common. They did know the difference between a working environment in CVS and release. The latter would be violating the GPL, but working with the code in CVS is just business as usual. But don't blame Linux for some trolls.

F!XMBR

Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it. --Pericles

Oliver's Website

  • From: Switzerland
  • Registered: 2005-03-25
  • Posts: 644

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

Interesting. I've read that mailing list thread when it contained only a handful of messages, 2 or 3 from the Linux guys and a couple from Theo deRaadt. To me it seemed that the Linux guys were polite and reasonable (except maybe for CC'ing that many people), while Theo unloaded whatever bad mood he was in on them, when a simple

Maxlor's Website

  • From: San Antonio, TX
  • Registered: 2005-05-15
  • Posts: 480

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

Oliver, I'd read that comment previously and fully agree with it and what you're saying. Still it makes me very uneasy to even think about messing with GPL'd code. Basically if you do what someone considers to be the wrong thing with it, you may be sent a reasonable notice from a fellow developer or you could end up get run over the coals by these GPL flag waiving jackasses.

... and then they said "I bet you can't make MINIX kernel panic!!!" And that's when I got mad

KernelPanicked's Website

  • From: San Antonio, TX
  • Registered: 2005-05-15
  • Posts: 480

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

Maxlor wrote:

As for worknig code in CVS being business as usual: it is, if the CVS server is private. OpenBSDs isn't though, last I checked.

Well the standpoint that the CVS server being public constituted redistribution is shady at best. The code was never in a release branch. One would have to know it existed and exactly what they were looking for. Meaning they would have to be an OBSD dev to start with. The code didn't even work so even if you stretch it to the point that some random Joe Public found it, it would do them no good. And the code used was tiny non-working functions, variables, and whitespace. I don;t know what copyright law says about non-working functions but I can guarantee you variables and whitespace is not copyright infringement.

As for handling of this on the OBSD side, Theo left it to Marcus how best to handle it, which he chose to delete the driver and wash his hands of it. Probably the best move for everyone concerned. And afterwards Theo railed on these guys for what is reprehensible behavior in an OSS community. I personally think Theo was fully justified in doing so.

... and then they said "I bet you can't make MINIX kernel panic!!!" And that's when I got mad

KernelPanicked's Website

  • From: Europe
  • Registered: 2006-12-29
  • Posts: 233

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

Of course the servers are public, it's opensource isn't it? Everybody out there knows about OBSD attitude to eliminate every single line of GPL code in OBSD, as far as it is possible. Theo isn't much different from Linus. The latter is calling FreeBSD developers idiots and Gnome developers interface-nazis. So in the end both of them do need a PR-manager, but that's not the point. If I have a problem with someone I'm writing a mail to him. Period. Discussing this first in public is a childish attitude.

F!XMBR

Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it. --Pericles

Oliver's Website

  • Registered: 2005-03-26
  • Posts: 1,591

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

this seemed to be a clash of personalities more than a clash of license philosophies.  if most of the people involved had more of a brain than they had an ego this could have been resolved a lot more peacefully and productively.  sadly, such is not the case.  it's unfortunate how this turned out.  I don't really want to get any further involved in debating what happened.

  • lucas
  • The Larzest
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  • From: Bozeman, MT, USA
  • Registered: 2005-04-25
  • Posts: 903

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

i read through april 5th at 10pm. good fun. big_smile

it's like SUN VERSUS MOON

http://www.wingedleopard.net/lucas/ || http://www.thinktankforums.com/

lucas's Website

  • From: Netherlands
  • Registered: 2007-01-29
  • Posts: 202

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

this seemed to be a clash of personalities more than a clash of license philosophies.  if most of the people involved had more of a brain than they had an ego this could have been resolved a lot more peacefully and productively.  sadly, such is not the case.  it's unfortunate how this turned out.  I don't really want to get any further involved in debating what happened.

I agree,  Buesch's first E-Mail sounded somewhat hostile to me, and so did Theo's first respone, even though both Buesch and Theo bring up valid points.
Things got from bad to worse after that, take a look at the e-mail dates, no one stopped for a day to think, everyone just kept sending ugly emails... hmm

Trust me, I know what I'm doing.

Carpetsmoker's Website

  • Registered: 2005-03-26
  • Posts: 1,591

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

yeah, there wasn't really any progress at all.  everyone just kept rehashing the same points.  it's too bad hmm.

  • Registered: 2005-03-26
  • Posts: 347

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

overall even though Theo has his points to make, his style seems annoying. I haven't read much of his stuff in the past but I read through 5 Apr 20:10. From what I remember he is pretty straight forward about his arguments and is generally very on. Michael seems sort of calm overall and is a bit ambivalent towards most of the countering claims and just sits there on his assumptions about code thievery. He was seemingly condescending because of his ideas about it being obvious that the code is stolen.

k I don't even know why I'm replying to this..it was ok to read but a waste of time, so next time developers, private message before you cry to the public -- and don't steal gpl (copy-paste is a crime) tongue

dannyp's Website

  • Registered: 2005-03-26
  • Posts: 347

Re: OpenBSD dev crucified for using GPL'd code

actually i did learn something though, state machines can't be copyrighted but expression of code can!

dannyp's Website