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From: kaleb@thyme.jpl.nasa.gov (Kaleb Keithley)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re:  Motif 1.1 shipping
Message-ID: <1990Sep4.152928.8717@thyme.jpl.nasa.gov>
Date: 4 Sep 90 15:29:28 GMT
References: <9009011809.AA08100@zia.aoc.nrao.edu>
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
Lines: 38

In article <9009011809.AA08100@zia.aoc.nrao.edu> cflatter@ZIA.AOC.NRAO.EDU (Chris Flatters) writes:
>Since Sun Microsystems are willing to give away the source for their
>"proprietary" XView toolkit (with enough bits and pieces to make a level
>1 implementation of OPEN LOOK) I find it inexplicable that the "Open"
>Software Foundation charge for the source for their GUI tookit (and top
>this with a per-copy fee for distributing binaries).
>
>I challenge OSF to put their principles where their publicity is and
>release OSF/Motif under the GNU General Public License, either version 1
>or, at their option, a later version.  As the OSF has made substantial
>donations to the Free Software Foundation, I presume that they are in
>favour of free software.
>
You are missing the point!  OSF is open; at least to Foundation *members*.
IBM, HP, DEC, and a whole slew of other companies to numerous to mention
established OSF in a veiled attempt to make *their* software the industry
standard.  Not-free software protects their investment in the standards,
development, and distribution of the Motif toolset.  Why, because OSF,
and its members, don't want Motif in the public domain.  There's some
legal mumbo-jumbo about "consideration."  If you give something away for
free, then that's what it's worth, and it becomes hard to protect.

Sun, on the other hand, trying to establish OL as a standard, has no
consortium to hold it up, and must therefore resort to giving it away,
FREE.  Sun's not stupid, anyone can look at the widespread enthusiasm
that GNU software receives; Sun wants their product to receive widespread
acclaim, so, they give it away.

Recent comments about the *quality* of Motif 1.1 may give Sun a chance to
gain some ground against OSF.

May the best product win.  Isn't capitalism wonderful.

-- 
Kaleb Keithley                      Jet Propeller Labs
kaleb@thyme.jpl.nasa.gov

"So that's what an invisible barrier looks like!"