Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 11:19:06 -0500 (EST) From: Doug Hass <dhass@imagestream.com> To: Ted Mittelstaedt <tedm@toybox.placo.com> Cc: Leo Bicknell <bicknell@ufp.org>, Jim Bryant <kc5vdj@yahoo.com>, MurrayTaylor <taylorm@bytecraft.au.com>, freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG, freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: RE: FYI Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.96.1011017111608.30611A-100000@ims1.imagestream.com> In-Reply-To: <009301c15726$797d19a0$1401a8c0@tedm.placo.com>
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> Doug, in the entire history of the FreeBSD project, when given a choice > between a better driver or code that is closed source, and a worse > driver that has open source, the FreeBSD community has never chosen the > driver or code with closed source. In fact I can only remember ONCE > that the Project has recommended against freely available BSD code - and > they did so in favor of GPL code, not closed source code - and this was > for the coprocessor emulator (used for 386 and 486SX chips only) > The only time that FreeBSD gets involved in closed-source code is when > there is simply NO other alternative - like in this case where the > register interface specs are being withheld. We certainly support the right for companies to protect their intellectual property in whatever way they see fit, even if the FreeBSD community does not. The lack of flexibility in accepting various requirements illustrates the difference between an OS WITH legs in the market and one WITHOUT legs. Much to my chagrin, FreeBSD continues to fall more and more into the latter category. Doug To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
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