At the GNUstep project, we've chosen to use GNU/Linux as the groundwork for GNUstep simply because Darwin is governed by the flawed and perverse APSL license. Building an open-source ANYTHING atop Darwin is still governed by Apple's "revocation" clause, and they can take Darwin from you or forbid you from using it at anytime by claiming that you're infringing on their intellectual property.
Non-skeptical supporters of Apple would have you believe that the "new" Apple would NEVER do such a thing like this. Once again, they're blinded by the simple fact that Apple is using "open-sourcing" loosely as a marketing technique, not as a philosophy. The people who are volunteering for Darwin are wasting their efforts, simply because Apple annexes and appropriates the code to sell as if it were their own. Like it or not, under the APSL, the intellectual property issue with Darwin is a one-way door: they can keep theirs, you can't have yours.
Spindletop recently has already gotten into trouble with Apple over intellectual property for pledging to make a distribution of GNUstep that uses compatible technology with Mac OS X. In this case, it was because Apple didn't like how some developers for GNUstep modified old NeXT icons, and threatened to sue Spindletop for having "Apple intellectual property" on their website. Fortunately, they're committed to building GNUstep upon GNU/Linux and the GPL, not to Darwin, as their rights to use it could be revoked in an instant and could take months, up to a year to get it back through the legal system (if ever).
Yet another victory for GNU/Linux and the power of GPL.
Don't trust Darwin, don't use it, don't even touch it. Most of all, don't distribute it or support it. If you like the technology involved, support the GNUStep Project, support Spindletop, and support the GNUstep developers.
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At the GNUstep project, we've chosen to use GNU/Linux as the groundwork for GNUstep simply because Darwin is governed by the flawed and perverse APSL license. Building an open-source ANYTHING atop Darwin is still governed by Apple's "revocation" clause, and they can take Darwin from you or forbid you from using it at anytime by claiming that you're infringing on their intellectual property.
Non-skeptical supporters of Apple would have you believe that the "new" Apple would NEVER do such a thing like this. Once again, they're blinded by the simple fact that Apple is using "open-sourcing" loosely as a marketing technique, not as a philosophy. The people who are volunteering for Darwin are wasting their efforts, simply because Apple annexes and appropriates the code to sell as if it were their own. Like it or not, under the APSL, the intellectual property issue with Darwin is a one-way door: they can keep theirs, you can't have yours.
Spindletop recently has already gotten into trouble with Apple over intellectual property for pledging to make a distribution of GNUstep that uses compatible technology with Mac OS X. In this case, it was because Apple didn't like how some developers for GNUstep modified old NeXT icons, and threatened to sue Spindletop for having "Apple intellectual property" on their website. Fortunately, they're committed to building GNUstep upon GNU/Linux and the GPL, not to Darwin, as their rights to use it could be revoked in an instant and could take months, up to a year to get it back through the legal system (if ever).
Yet another victory for GNU/Linux and the power of GPL.
Don't trust Darwin, don't use it, don't even touch it. Most of all, don't distribute it or support it. If you like the technology involved, support the GNUStep Project, support Spindletop, and support the GNUstep developers.