[hpsdr] Brief definition of Open Source.

[lloen at rapidwebllp.com]

> On 3/14/06, lloen at rapidwebllp.com <lloen at rapidwebllp.com> wrote:
>
>> In my case, even looking at the PowerSDR source required prior
>> discussions
>> with my management.
>> Larry  WO0Z
>
> Larry,
>
> Just out of curiosity, how would they know if you "looked" at the
PowerSDR source code  in your free (non-work) time or not?  (I assume that
you have signed some type of agreement...)
>
> 73 de Phil N8VB
>

They wouldn't necessarily know.  But, there's plenty of reason for them to
suppose that I'm playing ball properly.

I have indeed signed an agreement with my employer (or, at least, one
whose logical implications were that I couldn't look at the SDR source
without prenegotiations).  The negotiations were relatively
straightforward, but there was nothing automatic about it.  Thought was
required on all sides, even in a case as apparently clear-cut as Flex
Radio software for an OS jock.

The entire professional software world relies upon professionsals
understanding when and where the boundaries are in terms of "what they can
look at" when produced by third parties.

Programmers make their living off of copyrighted and (now) patented
materials and the licenses that result from them.  It's not terribly wise
to spit in your own stew.

Looking, willy-nilly, into code I have no need to see except raw
curiousity is just a bad idea for a serious professional.  It might
provide problems if you tried to join this or that project, whose
technical content one cannot possibly guess in advance -- I've had several
surpising changes of direction -- even though I have worked entirely at
IBM all my career.  If I unexpectedly left IBM someday, it would hardly
get _easier_ if I was always poking about, looking needlessly at whatever
was floating about the 'net.

There are probably plenty of individuals and companies who don't attend to
this well enough.  However, those are, simply put, lawsuits waiting to
happen.  This is especially true in the open source realm where any kind
of serious participation (including things as inevitable as bug reports or
maybe just posting up questions in some reflector or forum) creates an
indellible fingerprint of one's involvement.

Sometimes, clean living pays off.  This is such a case as certain
conversations (in reality or in prospect) become easier if you follow the
rules.

I don't know how this applies to electrical or mechanical engineers (which
is relevant here).  I know from long conversations with my brother that
this is much, much looser in the steel industry, for instance.  But, in my
neck of the woods, at least, it's pretty strict and, as I like my job, I
pay attention to these things.



Larry  WO0Z







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