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Don't open source the kernel, but...

Started by mobybrick, 2009.07.20, 00:46:29

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mobybrick

... allow Mensys to sign an NDA.

We all know that IBM have said that they will not open source the kernel. This is the biggest problem facing eCS at the moment, IMHO.

There is another way.

How about a new petition to IBM, not to open source the kernel (which they will not do) but allow Serenity/MenSys to sign a non-disclosure agreement for access to the kernel source, so that they can work on the kernel, keeping it closed-source?

Before you laugh, the legal problems with the kernel becoming open-source dissappear with this method... after all, other companies (Lotus, Exigen Latvia, Tivoli) have, I believe, had access to the kernel source to do device driver and low-level development...

And the kernel would remain closed-source, which is the model that Mensys/Serenity seem to prefer...

How about it?

Moby

Saijin_Naib

If it means we get real updates and not hacks then I'm all for it. I want to see some progress.

mobybrick

The problem will be getting someone at Mensys/Serenity to even take this up with IBM, and thereafter assign the resources for development...

Saijin_Naib


warpcafe

Hi,

the idea in fact isn't that bad. I think that Serenity/Mensys have a fairly "critical mass" with regards to the amount of licenses they hold (distribute). That should work as an argument to get an NDA-based (limited) access to the source.
The only question is: WIll IBM consider this worth it? In other words: What's in there for IBM?

Even with that solved... the remaining challenge will be to have someone doing the analysis and coding as Mobybrick has pointed out correctly. The problem here is that there ARE people who can do it. But they are all busy on other important parts of eCS already and shifting only 1 of them to kernel will mean to deal with delays for something else.

Regards,
Thomas
"It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority.
By definition, there are already enough people to do that"
- G.H. Hardy

mobybrick

So how do we get MenSys and others to take this idea seriously? How can we attract attention to this idea?

Saijin_Naib

$$$
Money money money sir. The only way.