Subject: OpenSource by force?

From: Ira Abramov <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 09:44:58 +0300 (IDT)

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=00/05/29/1715203&mode=thread
(link not directly related to the thread, but it got me thinking)

OpenSourcing in-house projects has always intrigued me. I spoke to Chen
about this once, they have a very usefull in-house tool for their
software development team that is not sold by mercury and the community
could use. I also have some interesting and smart setups at Internet
Zahav, written by staff members. I'm taking the "hacker" thinking mode
here saying there is no copyright notice on the scripts, and no license,
so I'll assume the "best case scenario" and release it under GPL if it's
good enough. Chen is in the opinion that the company should be first
persuaded at all levels, lawyers included, but since that is too much
bother, a busy tech worker won't always take up the task.

somewhere in the middle between those two aproaches there's probably the
right one. this is not really a technical thread, but I'd like to hear
opinions anyway :-)

Thanks,
Ira.

-- 
Ira Abramov   (@-  Gnu/Linux, Free Speech, RFC 1855
whois: IA58   //\  Peace,  Love,  Music,  Slow Food
www.scso.com  v_/_ Citroens, Camels, Penguins, Cats

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From: Moshe Zadka <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 12:42:19 +0300 (IDT)

On Fri, 9 Jun 2000, Ira Abramov wrote:

> OpenSourcing in-house projects has always intrigued me.

It is an intriguing subject. Bruce Perens once talked about it, and
concluded that it was a lost cause, usually. You are probably in a better
position then Xen and I (for example), since Internet Zahav does *not*
sell software. I know I have quite a difficult job convincing management
that things we do not plan on selling (e.g., my infamous dsp2make), might
as well be released to the public domain. 

The thing is, that I would *not* advise releasing without managerial
approval -- you are leading people to use this source, and improve it. 2
years later, management can wake up and say "hey, this is ours, we'll sue
your asses off if you don't stop using it". So, you cause a lot of people
to waste their times.

What might work is badgering management constantly. I'm trying that route
currently. 

> I'm taking the "hacker" thinking mode
> good enough.

Unfortunately, that isn't true. The IP belongs to the company, so you're
actually deluding a lot of people. What you can do (but it might get you
sued and of fired: however, this does not imply immorality), is release
those scripts with a notice that says "These are pirated scripts from
Internet Zahav. Please do not use the source, but you can get ideas freely
from them".

> Chen is in the opinion that the company should be first

I'm not sure lawyers have to be included: managerial concent is enough for
me.

management-sucks-ly y'rs, Z.
--
Moshe Zadka <[email-masked]>
http://www.oreilly.com/news/prescod_0300.html
http://www.linux.org.il -- we put the penguin in .com

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From: Omer Mussaev <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 09:04:34 +0300

> right one. this is not really a technical thread, but I'd like to hear

I think that there is no right approach, and the appropriate approach
depends on
kind of company you are considering. For example, if you are goiung to
open-source
some, say, "tool" from a small start-up, you can take "hacker" approach. In
case
of large company, such a step will surely trigger some under-water
activity, and
someone will be fired. So you"d like to book yourself a cover at all levels
of
management.
That's my oo-pinion :)

> Ira.

Omer Mussaev    051-308-214   mailto:[email-masked]
systems programmer, Mercury Interactive/RND/Conduct/core