Re: FreeQt concerns

[Kevin Forge <forgeltd@usa.net>]

I won't make any additional comments since this reply is just to ask 
other key persons what they think.

Erik Walthinsen wrote:
> 
> > I was just thinking some more about the FreeQt project, and it *might*
> > not be so hot of an idea...
> I was talking with someone after the Portland LUG meeting yesterday, and he
> voiced the same concerns.
> 
> > What's a commercial vendor going to use, then?  Qt or FreeQt?  If FreeQt
> > is just as good, the choice is pretty obvious....  What's that going to
> > do to TrollTech?  What's it going to do to other companies considering
> > releasing software or libraries for Linux?
> Exactly.  FreeQt is biting the hand that feeds it.  Troll Tech does many
> good things for Linux (specifically, Qt), and FreeQt could blow them out of
> the market, even if it's designed to "only" provide what K* uses.  Given
> that Qt is cross-platform (right?  I'm hearing this second-hand and haven't
> had time to cross-check), it is a very good way for companies who want to
> (re-)write their software to easily port the Linux from the same code they
> build the Windoze binaries from.  Killing Troll Tech is thus a very bad
> idea.
> 
> > At the very least, if this thing goes through, I think it should be
> > under straight GPL - *not* LGPL.  This would give some protection to
> > Troll, since proprietary development wouldn't be possible, but would
> > still appease the KDE critics.
> Possibly.  It depends, I'm going to have to go read the [NM]PL again... Did
> they manage to solve the GPL coexistence problem?  But you're right, if
> it's going to be done, it should be GPL'd rather than LGPL'd, as it does
> provide extra safeties.
> 
> > Is this an overblown concern?  What do you think????
> I don't think it's overblown at all.  However, making this opinion known is
> going to prove very unpopular to many people, and since on one really has
> control over the FreeQt project anyway, it all depends on the developers'
> opinions on the subject.
> 
> One very useful project would be for someone to write a paper detailing
> what's wrong with LGPL'ing FreeQt, and what it will (not may, *will*) do to
> Troll Tech.  Keep it up to date and make sure that people read it.  If you
> wish to write such a paper, or co-author it, please sign onto the seul-pub
> list (low-traffic) and e-mail Martin Jackson (mjackson@seul.org) to
> coordinate your efforts.
> 
> TTYL,
>     Omega
> 
>      Erik Walthinsen <omega@seul.org> - SEUL Project system architect
>         __
>        /  \                SEUL: Simple End-User Linux -
>       |    | M E G A            Creating a Linux distribution
>       _\  /_                         for the home or office user

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