Re: Linux 2.6.9 and the GPL Buyout

["Jeff V. Merkey" <jmerkey@gadugi.org>]

William Lee Irwin III wrote:

>On Mon, Dec 20, 2004 at 03:27:23PM -0600, Jeff V. Merkey wrote:
>[...]
>  
>
>>Despite dubious reporting and wild conjecture, the buyout was not geared 
>>towards helping SCO, or in concert with M$ as some sort of grand 
>>conspiracy.  It was geared towards creating a new licensing and legal 
>>model for open source development.  The Cherokee Nation is enacting 
>>legislation to promote open source development.  So the whole buyout 
>>was me and a few folks attempting to convert Linux GPL code into 
>>a licensing model and Cherokee Nation Copyrights that renders the 
>>code sovereign and immune from litigation outside of tribal courts
>>and jurisdiction.  So much for all the SCO and other legal wranglings
>>regarding this effort and open source in general.  We are immune from
>>these people and so are any projects that use our licensing or host 
>>on our servers.  I personally told Darl "Mad Dog" McBride at SCO 
>>good luck and to buzz off.  
>>    
>>
>[...]
>
>As interesting and informative as this is, maybe there needs to be a
>mailing list (linux-politics-discuss?) or something to serve as an
>appropriate outlet for these kinds of discussions (as well as bitkeeper
>licensing issues, C++ modules, etc.). It's a bit difficult to
>appreciate the relevance of this kind of "political" message to a list
>dedicated to kernel programming and cold, hard code.
>
>Congratulations on your new directions and position. I hope there will
>soon be a place for which your informative announcements are more
>appropriate than linux-kernel.
>
>
>- wli
>
>  
>
Linux Kernel is the most appropriate since it is Linux kernel code and 
open source
in general and this does prevent the SCO legal ranglings with Linux. For 
now, anyway.
That will hcnage as the SCO litigation develops and M$ starts their 
patent attacks. Open
Source OS's will need a safe harbor. One just appeared.

Jeff