Re: IBM & patches

[Mohammed Elzubeir <elzubeir at arabeyes dot org>]

On Fri, May 24, 2002 at 11:30:53AM -0300, Isam Bayazidi wrote:

Salam Isam,

> Well I did smell something fishy after knowing that WINE got the same cycle of 
> development as OO ..it seems that by not agreeing to individual licenses to 
> these apps, IBM is keeping those patches for them selves.. but in the other 
> hand .. it seems that the OO license allows SUN to use the code for their 
> products but not anyone else.. and the WINE allowes the code weavers to use 
> the code .. it seems that these type of semi-open licenses are the one 
> hurting .. but again .. I think that IBM is making changes that they would 
> like to keep for them selves .. I'd really like to see if IBM would present a 
> newly patches Xterm or a modified Aspell in Bahrain for Arabic .. if they did 
> do such development they MUST share it .. and it seems that due to the 
> ignorance of Open Source in the Arab world their acquisition for the code 
> will not be noticed ..
> 

There is a difference between OO patches and those of WINE. The first was a matter of
legal work between two giants -- obviously there will be a push and pull between Sun and
IBM (it would be naive not to expect that). However, with WINE it is a simple matter of
funding. I don't see that they are related.

As far as contacts are concerned it seems that we are more likely to make more permanent
contacts with IBM (il) branch than .eg or any other Arab country branch. The .il guys are
responsive and actually give answers (unlike Rasha Morgan's silence and others at IBM Egypt
who seem to prefer not replying to email at all). Mati immediately sent me the patches for
the OO bidi+shaping.. when was the last time we had meaningful communication with Rasha
Morgan?

I am not sure how much IBM has done so far -- but I can probably email Mati and ask him
(and expect a comprehensive answer as well). 

As for aspell.. <gasp>.. duali pre-alpha in a week ;)

later
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