Home » Archives for January 2006
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Sunday, January 29, 2006
No GPL 3.0 for Linux - Linus Torvalds
GPL 3.0 First draft in released and Linus Torvalds is in no mood to put Linux in there.
Quoted from : Linus Torvalds's mail to the Linux-Kernel mailing list
Link : http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0601.3/0559.html
From: Linus Torvalds
Date: Wed Jan 25 2006 - 17:39:09 EST
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* In reply to: Chase Venters: "Re: GPL V3 and Linux - Dead Copyright Holders"
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On Wed, 25 Jan 2006, Chase Venters wrote:
>
> This means that when the code went GPL v1 -> GPL v2, the transition was
> permissible. Linux v1.0 shipped with the GPL v2. It did not ship with a
> separate clause specifying that "You may only use *this* version of the GPL"
> as it now does. (I haven't done any research to find out when this clause was
> added, but it was after the transition to v2).
Bzzt. Look closer.
The Linux kernel has _always_ been under the GPL v2. Nothing else has ever
been valid.
The "version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version"
language in the GPL copying file is not - and has never been - part of the
actual License itself. It's part of the _explanatory_ text that talks
about how to apply the license to your program, and it says that _if_ you
want to accept any later versions of the GPL, you can state so in your
source code.
The Linux kernel has never stated that in general. Some authors have
chosen to use the suggested FSF boilerplate (including the "any later
version" language), but the kernel in general never has.
In other words: the _default_ license strategy is always just the
particular version of the GPL that accompanies a project. If you want to
license a program under _any_ later version of the GPL, you have to state
so explicitly. Linux never did.
So: the extra blurb at the top of the COPYING file in the kernel source
tree was added not to _change_ the license, but to _clarify_ these points
so that there wouldn't be any confusion.
The Linux kernel is under the GPL version 2. Not anything else. Some
individual files are licenceable under v3, but not the kernel in general.
And quite frankly, I don't see that changing. I think it's insane to
require people to make their private signing keys available, for example.
I wouldn't do it. So I don't think the GPL v3 conversion is going to
happen for the kernel, since I personally don't want to convert any of my
code.
> If a migration to v3 were to occur, the only potential hairball I see is if
> someone objected on the grounds that they contributed code to a version of the
> kernel Linus had marked as "GPLv2 Only". IANAL.
No. You think "v2 or later" is the default. It's not. The _default_ is to
not allow conversion.
Conversion isn't going to happen.
Linus
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SlashDot it : http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/01/16/2036239&from=rss
Microsoft releasing its own MP3 player
Microsoft Corp. on Thursday confirmed that it's considering plans to build its own portable music player to rival Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod, which has captured the lion share of the market at the expense of competitors offering devices with Microsoft's music player.
BusinessWeek reported Thursday that the Redmond, Wash., software maker was working on plans to develop its own device, rather than just rely on partners to take on Apple, which is becoming a dominant player in entertainment on the Web. Quoting sources inside the company, the magazine reported that Microsoft had put together a team to consider the business behind such as initiative.
A spokeswoman for the company called the BusinessWeek story "speculation," but confirmed that Microsoft was considering its own music player, along with many other projects stemming from a major reorganization announced last year.
"Officially, nothing has been announced," a spokeswoman said. "I don't think anything has been officially decided."
In September, Microsoft reorganized its operations into three divisions, including an Entertainment and Devices Division that was meant to improve the company's ability to provide software and services for mobile devices.
Chief executive Steve Ballmer said that the reorganization was needed to "enhance decision-making and speed of execution" of products and services. The company at the time was facing sharp criticism for having internal operations that hampered its effectiveness and chased away employees.
Despite having portable media players before Apple, the iPod has trounced rivals in the market, capturing about three-quarters of sales.
Courtsey : http://www.informationweek.com/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=177104403
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
New avatar on the political horizon of India
Some IITians formed a party paritrana in order to change the political environment of India. Personally I believe its a good step towards change in Indian Politics and help accomadate india changes in its social culture. More about it later
Till then welcome the guys. THANKS for giving your time for our beloved country.
