[Asterisk-Users] TDM120 card?

[Lee Howard]

On 2004.12.19 16:12 Steven Critchfield wrote:

> I also despise those who wish to compete with Digium with exactly the
> same hardware Digium sells

Well, not only is it legally within the bounds of the GPL licensing on 
the Zapata hardware, but I honestly expect that this kind of 
competition is what the original designers wanted to occur by placing 
such a license upon those designs, affecting derivative works.

Competition is good for the community.  And, until the market becomes 
saturated, I think that competition will only lead to increased 
exposure for Asterisk.  With increased exposure all companies and 
individuals involved with Asterisk only stand to gain - both monetarily 
and technologically.

> and advertising based on the popularity of
> asterisk.

I don't understand how this is a bad thing.  Not only are companies 
like Digium and Atacomm profiting from the equity in Asterisk and the 
exposure that it has, but countless numbers of us "community people" 
profit from it as consultants, service providers, and such.  That's 
what the licensing does for all of us, not just a priviledged few.

> But as part of the line you trimmed, if someone improves or
> significantly change the hardware, it shows that the company/person is
> more than just a leach.

I wholeheartedly agree with you on this.  All users and companies 
involved with Asterisk should contribute back into Asterisk - whether 
that be through bug reporting, code developing, advertising, testing, 
purchasing hardware and or developments, etc.  They should do this not 
only because it is good for the community, but because as I've 
indicated above, it is good for themselves.

That said, I think that the design of the GPL is such that it prevents 
people from being leaches.  So as long as the alleged abusers are not 
violating the terms of the license, I think it's a stretch for them to 
be considered leaches.

Lee.