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Mambo CMS Dev Team Splits

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the like-a-fine-soap-opera dept.

cozimek writes "The popular Mambo CMS developer team has severed its ties with Miro Corporation, the copyright owner on the GPL'd Mambo CMS. You can read more about the renegade dev team."

4 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Greeeat. by HansF · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Shouldn't worry about that.
    The code is gpl, the name is trademarked. The developers went their own way.
    There are still going to be new releases only the name will change.
    And yes, I'm sure you can easely upgrade from mambo to $newname. From my point of view, the new mambo is going to be even more free than it was before. This actually isn't a 'open source' problem since closed source licences (and prices) can change in new versions of the product your using.
    With open source you have at least the freedom to 'take the code and run' when the maintainers of that code do something you're not happy with.

    --
    --> Insert Funny Sig Here
  2. A Good Thing by zecg · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Though this situation will undoubtedly be used by certain pundits and businesses as cannon fodder against OSS, I think it only goes to show how the GPL empowers those who do the work. If the entire team (i.e. "the workers") get up, say "thank you" and fork the code, things like brand name, copyright and such suddenly become completely useless.

    It's knowledgeable people that are the only true resource in the case - let's see Miro just replace all of them overnight and beat the forked version this team will be working on.

    --
    .i lu doi ringos.star. xu do puku'aroroi dunli dopecaku leni virnu li'u
  3. how is this a problem? by Xtifr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So some other program now exists that's based on the same code. How does this affect you? It's some other program! It may offer you some nice options, i.e. you may be able to switch over to the new system, but otherwise, you're unaffected!

    You might just as justifiably claim that Linux/PPC is a "problem" for OS/X users. It's not a problem, it's an alternative! And one you're welcome to ignore if you so choose!

    Sheesh!

  4. It DOES show the STRENGTH of Open Source by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If Mambo had been a closed source product, and the company that developed it started misbehaving (raising prices, making changes that ruin it, etc.), then the users of Mambo would be _screwed_.

    With closed source, the only choices for Mambo users would be to accept the bad changes (higher prices, etc.), or give up using Mambo.

    But, since Mambo is Open Source, Mambo users are _protected_.

    With Open Source, when a developer starts misbehaving, anyone else has the option of forking the code, in order to ensure that the preferred direction is maintained.

    So everyone should ignore the trolls and astroturfers who are calling this a weakness of Open Source. On the contrary, it is a strength. It protects users from having to suffer at the hands of a disreputable company, as, for example, Microsoft's customers have suffered.