Well, Redhat just makes a custom build of the Linux kernel from the main sources. They may do some patching first, but as far as I know they haven't forked the kernel. They then package other programs and their own custom utilities with it and distribute it as a full OS, and call it "Redhat Linux".
I guess Linus only requires that you add another word to the name of the kernel to differentiate it. However, if the Tetris people can sue you (and win) for making a game with the syllable "tris" in the name, I'm pretty sure that Sun could sue you for distributing "Joe's Java", whether you're basing it on their source code or not.
The confusion over the Linux name could have been avoided if they'd just called the complete OS "GNU" to begin with, rather than "Linux" or "GNU/Linux". Then we'd have Redhat GNU, Debian GNU, Gentoo GNU, etc. Each one being a variation on the GNU OS by various distributors, rather than implying that they are varations on the kernel.
I'm probably starting to sound a bit like RMS. I'm actually neutral on the "Linux" vs. "GNU/Linux" thing. They're both equally confusing.
Open Source doesn't actually have anything to do with Trademarks. It deals exclusively with copyright. There may also be some FOSS liscenses that deal with patents, but I'm not sure about that.
If you want to fork Java and make massive architectural changes to it, you can't. When (if) it's released as OSS, you'll be free to do so. Sun will still have control over what changes happen to the main source tree, just as Linus has control over what changes happen to Linux. However, you'll be able to take the source code of Java in its entirety, make whatever changes you want, and release it as a competing language. You could even give it a similar name, like "Fava".
Name confusion, however, doesn't really benefit anyone. If you called your new language "Java", users might end up mistakenly using it when they really want Sun's Java. Standard Java apps won't run, and users get annoyed. This is an issue whether the new language is actually based on Java's source code or not.
Trademark-restricted open source? Isn't this how it usually is? I can fork Mozilla, but I can't call my fork "Mozilla", because the name is trademarked.
"Java" is trademarked, right? So release the code under some accepted open-source license, and prohibit anyone who forks it from calling their product "Java". I don't think you'd even need to change the license.
The vastly overrated parent and numerous other comments on this story miss the point completely.
The gripe is not about lack of acknowledgment, it's about Sun claiming to be supporting the open source community, while simultaneously refusing to do anything for said community. They claim that because JDE uses FOSS, they are somehow contributing to FOSS. However, their obfuscation efforts kill that argument, since it does not even increase the popularity/visibility of FOSS, let alone contribute any code.
Agreed. Radio kills otherwise good albums. Several years ago (1998), there was a song called "Ava Adore" by the Smashing Pumpkins being overplayed on the radio. I didn't care for the song, and after hearing it far too many times, I began to despise it. I never bothered checking out the album (known as "Adore") that the song was from, because nothing else from it was played. About a year and a half ago I finally downloaded the album, and it's become one of my favorites. Every track is good except for the one that was played on the radio.
While Torvalds is a threat to Gates, Gates seems to be little or no threat to Torvalds. To hear Torvalds talk about it, he's having fun as Linux' guardian. His challenge is merely that of being an effective shepherd to a vast flock of very creative, un-sheeplike sheep.
A flock of sheep? Shouldn't that be a herd of cats?
Understood. The thing is, homogeneity is boring. That's why these groups exist. The point isn't to compete with or one-up men, the point is to advocate CS to non-CS women. Lack of diversity doesn't really go away on its own.
The last two remaining corporations worth mentioning, AOL-Time Warner-Republicrat Party-Pepsi-Disney-Proctor and Gamble, and Microsoft, will be merging to form a completely new megaconglomerate known as "GeneriCorp" which will strive to "protect consumer choice"...
Slashdot Mirror
Well, Redhat just makes a custom build of the Linux kernel from the main sources. They may do some patching first, but as far as I know they haven't forked the kernel. They then package other programs and their own custom utilities with it and distribute it as a full OS, and call it "Redhat Linux".
I guess Linus only requires that you add another word to the name of the kernel to differentiate it. However, if the Tetris people can sue you (and win) for making a game with the syllable "tris" in the name, I'm pretty sure that Sun could sue you for distributing "Joe's Java", whether you're basing it on their source code or not.
The confusion over the Linux name could have been avoided if they'd just called the complete OS "GNU" to begin with, rather than "Linux" or "GNU/Linux". Then we'd have Redhat GNU, Debian GNU, Gentoo GNU, etc. Each one being a variation on the GNU OS by various distributors, rather than implying that they are varations on the kernel.
I'm probably starting to sound a bit like RMS. I'm actually neutral on the "Linux" vs. "GNU/Linux" thing. They're both equally confusing.
Open Source doesn't actually have anything to do with Trademarks. It deals exclusively with copyright. There may also be some FOSS liscenses that deal with patents, but I'm not sure about that.
If you want to fork Java and make massive architectural changes to it, you can't. When (if) it's released as OSS, you'll be free to do so. Sun will still have control over what changes happen to the main source tree, just as Linus has control over what changes happen to Linux. However, you'll be able to take the source code of Java in its entirety, make whatever changes you want, and release it as a competing language. You could even give it a similar name, like "Fava".
Name confusion, however, doesn't really benefit anyone. If you called your new language "Java", users might end up mistakenly using it when they really want Sun's Java. Standard Java apps won't run, and users get annoyed. This is an issue whether the new language is actually based on Java's source code or not.
Trademark-restricted open source? Isn't this how it usually is? I can fork Mozilla, but I can't call my fork "Mozilla", because the name is trademarked.
New internet passtime: ADTI trolling!
"Java" is trademarked, right? So release the code under some accepted open-source license, and prohibit anyone who forks it from calling their product "Java". I don't think you'd even need to change the license.
The vastly overrated parent and numerous other comments on this story miss the point completely.
The gripe is not about lack of acknowledgment, it's about Sun claiming to be supporting the open source community, while simultaneously refusing to do anything for said community. They claim that because JDE uses FOSS, they are somehow contributing to FOSS. However, their obfuscation efforts kill that argument, since it does not even increase the popularity/visibility of FOSS, let alone contribute any code.
Surprisingly the anti-spammers didn't tear Richter to pieces with their bare hands.
Well, what kind of weapons did they use, then?
Agreed. Radio kills otherwise good albums. Several years ago (1998), there was a song called "Ava Adore" by the Smashing Pumpkins being overplayed on the radio. I didn't care for the song, and after hearing it far too many times, I began to despise it. I never bothered checking out the album (known as "Adore") that the song was from, because nothing else from it was played. About a year and a half ago I finally downloaded the album, and it's become one of my favorites. Every track is good except for the one that was played on the radio.
While Torvalds is a threat to Gates, Gates seems to be little or no threat to Torvalds. To hear Torvalds talk about it, he's having fun as Linux' guardian. His challenge is merely that of being an effective shepherd to a vast flock of very creative, un-sheeplike sheep.
A flock of sheep? Shouldn't that be a herd of cats?
Screenshots of the new GBA Metroid.
Understood. The thing is, homogeneity is boring. That's why these groups exist. The point isn't to compete with or one-up men, the point is to advocate CS to non-CS women. Lack of diversity doesn't really go away on its own.
Oh wait, you already are.
Debian servers still have the .deb files and source for bnetd. I've mirrored them here, just in case.
The last two remaining corporations worth mentioning, AOL-Time Warner-Republicrat Party-Pepsi-Disney-Proctor and Gamble, and Microsoft, will be merging to form a completely new megaconglomerate known as "GeneriCorp" which will strive to "protect consumer choice"...