[Ardour-Dev] Licensing and enforced payments

[Patrick Shirkey]

Jörn Nettingsmeier wrote:
> Patrick Shirkey wrote:
>   
>> Jan Stary wrote:
>>     
>>> On Jan 21 13:58:20, John Rigg wrote:
>>> If you want to stay open source (in whatever sense), you have
>>> to provide the source code. And as soon as you do (9), someone
>>> is gonna fork your code, with no other change than throwing
>>> away the code that disables interfaces etc.
>>>   
>>>       
>> And if they do that they will receive the evil eye of the developers and
>> make themselves look like a real *hole.
>>     
>
> patrick, you are absolutely, totally missing the point. being obnoxious
> to users and creating hassles for users for anything other that solid
> technical reasons is totally not what open source is about (even if
> those users use evil operating systems).
>
>   
It seems to me that what you really want to say is that making it 
absolutely clear to people that use a binary version of an opensource 
project that they are expected to contribute cash within the interface 
is not acceptable.

The shock value alone will resonate much more than a humble little plea 
for donations and subscriptions.


> to make it very clear: i have a bunch of servers with ample bandwidth.
> if such bogus obstactles are ever introduced into the code, i swear i
> will have a forked svn going within 30 minutes, just to make a point.
>
>   
>> I think most rational people and busy developers will not be bothered to
>> maintain a fork of Ardour just to make sure a License key for mac users
>> and people who are unable to compile a binary isn't part of the system.
>>     
>
> repeat after me: there are *no* license keys in GPL'd software. not even
> for (gasp!) mac users.
>
>   

There are plenty of license keys being used in various projects. 
Although I have so far only seen it on web based apps that doesn't make 
it an impossibility for a GPL application. It is a pie in the sky 
idealism that makes it appeal. Clearly you don't have to consider anyone 
elses future except your own.

>> If it actually starts to make Ardour some money then that will be very
>> good for everyone.
>>     
>
> obviously true, but totally orthogonal if not diametrical to all the
> ramble about code locks, integrated browsers (knock, knock - anyone
> home?) and paid-for svn access.
>
>   

Every single time you respond to me you try to suggest I am an idiot. If 
it happens again I'm going to buy a ticket to LAC just so I can fight 
you face to face.

> now please, can those ideas be buried for good?
>   

There is absolutely no reason that Ardour cannot be a completely 
integrated solution for the entire "business" of making audio with 
Ardour.  All the optional extras can be compile time enabled/disabled 
and making it easier for people to get from a to z will only increase 
the user base.

If there is a way to make money with Ardour while keeping the code open 
sourced then it should be completely reasonable to discuss the options.

You are not the arbiter of good taste and design decisions for open 
source software.






-- 
Patrick Shirkey
Boost Hardware Ltd.