Blogging Roller

Dave Johnson on open web technologies, social software and software development


Forces and vulnerabilities of the Apache model

Ceki Gülcü: Instead of trying to learn from past failures which open discussion is supposed to encourage, Apache forges on in the path of egalitarianism. As time passes, I see attempts at institutionalizing egalitarianism instead of recognizing its inherent injustice. If egalitarianism is really at the core of the Apache way as an absolute value, then the Apache way sucks. Yay!

While the one person one vote principle applies to a democracy in order to run a country for the benefit of all, the one person one vote principle is ill-suited in a purported meritocracy the size of Apache. If it must be "one developer one vote", then the word meritocracy cannot be honestly ascribed to Apache.

Very interesting discussion and comments on the dynamics of meritocracy at the Apache Software Foundation from Ceki Gülcü.

Tags: asf

WordCamps need to be GPL too now?

Remkus de Vries: The sixth point is where it get’s tricky however. “People or companies in violation of the WordPress license cannot be accepted as event organizers or sponsors“. Does this mean we have to block out sponsors as Microsoft and the likes? They are clearly not GPL compliant, and don’t get me wrong, I’m very much in favor of the GPL license, but this does not sound right to me. Same goes for speakers, what if you have perfect speaker and he or she is willing to help out, but because they work for a company that does not support the GPL they won’t be allowed to come? That can’t be right. I can understand that we should try to get behind the GPL as much as possible whenever a WordCamp event is being organized, but I don’t think it is humanly possible to conduct a background check on all sponsors and speakers.

Wordcamp as the front-line of Wordpress GPL enforcement measures? Weird, but I don't see the problem with Microsoft because, as far as I know, they don't distribute Wordpress code and thus cannot be violating the Wordpress GPL license.

Tags: gpl wordpress

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