[Asterisk-Users] Re: Re: Digium Website Update: Asterisk Business Edition

[Esben Stien]

Andrew Kohlsmith <akohlsmith-asterisk at benshaw.com> writes:

> ABE is a VERY SPECIFIC version of HEAD (or is it STABLE?) with
> features CUT OUT and nothing added that isn't in HEAD already.

This is what I mean with a custom set of features. I never claimed
anything was added.

> I totally fail to see the problem here.

The problem arises in two specific areas. Digium needs to hold the
copyright of the entire core code base to be able to use a different
license. This means that we cannot depend on f.ex sndfile or any other
gpl project to do a specific job. Code reuse becomes a thing you
cannot take advantage of. Digium cannot ship a proprietary product
that includes gpl code and this means that we have to do a lot more
work instead of using proven stable free code in the core of
asterisk. 

The other problem is the issue that free software developers are
mostly (in my experience) not happy with the fact that their code
would be used in proprietary software. It conflicts with the whole
religion of free software. This means that fewer contributions would
be expected and the development process goes slower. I can only speak
for myself, but please understand the clear conflict with the whole
philosophy of free software.

> This is exactly what they are doing.  They are supporting a very
> specific branch with an eye for stability and repeatability.

Yes, and as I tried to say; offer support on a said set of
features. It can also be a shape asterisk must be in, but it doesn't
have to be non free. 

> [..] Oh, it's CVS HEAD from 20050612 and anyway... what?  oh, [..]
> libc? [..] Six what? [..].  Digium's avoiding all this bullshit.
> It's a specific version of Asterisk compiled by them.  This is a
> good thing, not a bad thing.

They can still do this with free software. You can choose to offer
support on what you want, pre compiled versions or not, but this whole
idea of dual licensing is hurting us, in my opinion.

-- 
Esben Stien is b0ef at e     s      a             
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