[Mono-list] AppServer code is posted

[Brian Ritchie]

Pokey,

Thanks for all of the "instructions" on open source.  I'm by no means a 
veteran in the "movement", but just a hacker trying to add some value to a 
worthwhile project.

The Microsoft portion that you are referring to is a component of the system 
that could be easily removed.  It could be replaced, for example, with the 
XSP code from Mono.  I can remove it if it is causing problems...but I'm not 
sure if it is...Here's a link from MS that says the code is free:
http://www.asp.net/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?tabindex=1&PostID=77371
Any legal advice is appreciated, I'm no expert on licensing issues.

If the graphics are an issue, they too could be replaced.  I've seen many 
open source projects using such images, but if it is a problem...then by all 
means, lets remove them.  Do you have links to some free images?

I hope "jumping to conclusions" isn't what the Mono project is all about 
either.  It might be more useful to give fellow hackers advice and guidance 
instead of labeling their work "rebranding".

I'm happy to make changes that would bring this software more in line with 
the Mono project.  Hopefully we can discuss these changes in a more 
constructive way in the future.

Brian


>
>Forgive me for playing devil's advocate, but how can this ever become
>part of Mono when its components are clearly taken verbatim from
>Microsoft software?
>
>Mono is an Open Source/Free Software project, which is different to
>being just "freely available". Although definitions vary, one of the
>fundamental groundings of open source is that it should be both freely
>redistributable and freely modifiable. Your application server can meet
>either of these requirements.
>
>I see many files with the header
>
>         Copyright (c) 2000-2002 Microsoft Corp. All rights reserved.
>         Version 1.0.2.226
>
>You can't just decide on a whim that you want to relicense these files
>under the X11/MIT license without the permission of Microsoft Corp. Even
>if you were to rewrite all this Microsoft code in your AppServer, there
>would still be issues with derivative work licensing as your application
>is based so closely on Microsoft's original work.
>
>The same applies to the Microsoft artwork that you've "borrowed" from
>Microsoft products for use in the Web front-end. Just like programmers
>developed the source code that you've taken, graphics artists at
>Microsoft designed the artwork that you've appropriated. They are simply
>not something you have produced.
>
>You also mention that some of the code is based on Microsoft's "Cassini"
>web-server. If this is just a conceptual basing, that's fine. However,
>if it's a derivative work based on the sources of Cassini, this would be
>yet another cause for concern.
>
>You should seriously consider renaming your application server as soon
>as possible. Taking chunks of Microsoft code and re-branding them is not
>what Mono is about, and it is most certainly not legal.
>


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