[Asterisk-Users] Help with GPL license of Asterisk

[Mark Spencer]

> So, if 3rd parties are doing or going to do that, then why not allow
> them to do it in a way that doesn't require bypassing proper design?
> A third party could then for example start selling G.723 codecs, if they
> are prepared to pay the fee that allows them to do so.

We want to promote the advancement of Asterisk.  GPL encourages people to
contribute by requiring them to release their changes under GPL.  If
someone wishes to keep their changes/enhancements proprietary, then they
should (financially) compensate Digium for the ability to do so, thus in
turn also advancing Asterisk.

Digium gives everyone the choice to either play by Open Source rules, or
play by conventional closed source rules -- you choose.

> I prefer GPL, other forms of open source (payed for or not) is
> acceptable. I dislike closed source, but if it solves my problem
> against an acceptable rate with acceptable service and support, why
> not.

And we're all for that -- but if it's closed source software being sold,
we want our part to help push Asterisk along, and to be sure that there is
always *something* that makes it more attractive to be GPL'd than
non-GPL'd.

> On the other hand, it is possible that under the suggested
> construction many more third party modules spring to live, causing

Nothing stops them from doing it now, they just have to license it.

Mark