Restrictive copyrights on Amateur Radio software

[bruce@pixar.com (Bruce Perens)]

mikebw@bilow.bilow.uu.ids.net (Mike Bilow) writes:
> It's more complicated than that.  In his source, Joerg credits PE1CHL and
> others who wrote the original NOS SCC driver.  As a result, one could
> argue that he is bound under the terms of the NOS copyright, which states
> that NOS is free for amateur radio use. Under the circumstances, I think
> that Joerg may be caught between two competing copyright restrictions
> beyond his control.

If it is a derivative work of work done by others, those others must
consent if the terms of _their_ copyright are to be changed. So let's
ask them. PE1CHL has taken umbrage at the use of his software by CB-ers
in the past. I find this unfortunate, since much of the networking code in
Linux was writen by a Dutch packet CB-er who allows _us_ to use _his_
code. Perhaps PE1CHL has changed his mind by now.

> It may have been a mistake not to have NOS under the common GPL from the
> beginning, but it wasn't.  Any code derived from it is a problem.

Phil Karn has stated his willingness (in e-mail here on tcp-group) to GPL
the AX.25 part of NOS. Several authors of derivative software chimed in
and offered to GPL their modifications to Phil's software. Phil and I are
currently corresponding on exactly what files will be GPL-ed. He has my
list, I'm just waiting for the "OK".

The scc.c in Phil's NOS RCS sources gives primary credit to Ken Mitchum
KY3B <km@speedy.cs.pitt.edu>, and secondary credit to PE1CHL.
Obviously, this is not one of the files that Phil can release. If we
can't get clearance on an SCC driver, we'll just have to write another
one. This is unfortunate, as it'll put off the day when Linux can
offer all of the capabilities of NOS and more.

	Bruce Perens

--
<a href="http://www.rahul.net/perens>Bruce Perens AB6YM</a>
Voice phone: 510-215-3502  Internet: Bruce@Pixar.com
Amateur Radio TCP/IP: Bruce@ab6ym.ampr.org
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