From: | "Arthur(at)LinkLine(dot)com" <arthur(at)linkline(dot)com> |
---|---|
To: | "PostGreSQL Hackers" <pgsql-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org> |
Subject: | Fw: PostgreSQL mission statement? |
Date: | 2002-05-02 20:04:34 |
Message-ID: | 003801c1f214$95053a20$8cd61e40@Arthur |
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Thread: | |
Lists: | pgsql-hackers |
Dear Team,
This sounds good to me. Especially the comment about software patents.
Software source code can be written with different variable names and
slightly different coding styles. But when a specific function needs
implementation, often there is only one logical approach. If that approach
is patented, then it becomes "un-usable" by most programmers. It is
essentially by nature the same thing as allowing artists to patent certain
shades of color, because they have used it first in a famous painting. The
idea strikes me as completely ludicrous.
However, I am all for giving credit where credit is due. I like to see
copyright notices and references to the GPL in Linux oriented code. It
gives me a better "feel" for those "upon whose shoulders I stand".
Arthur
----- Original Message -----
From: "mlw" <markw(at)mohawksoft(dot)com>
To: <jm(dot)poure(at)freesurf(dot)fr>
Cc: "David Terrell" <dbt(at)meat(dot)net>; "PostgreSQL-development"
<pgsql-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org>
Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2002 8:44 AM
Subject: Re: [HACKERS] PostgreSQL mission statement?
> Jean-Michel POURE wrote:
> >
> > The PostgreSQL community is committed to creating and maintaining the
best,
> > most reliable, open-source multi-purpose standards based database, and
with
> > it, promote free(dom) and open source software world wide.
> >
> > I hope you don't mind writing "free(dom)" with the idea of fighting
patent
> > abuses.
>
> No, the mission statement is about what the postgresql group, as a whole,
is
> all about.
>
> I know it seems silly to have such a thing, but really, the more I read on
this
> discussion, the more it seems like it is a useful "call to arms" for
developers
> and users alike.
>
> Now, I do not wish to have a manifesto, but a short and sweet "this is who
we
> are, and this is what we do" could be a positive thing.
>
> P.S. I think every software engineer worth anything should fight software
> patents. If Donald Knuth didn't patent his algorithms, practically none of
us
> deserve patents. I mean seriously, most of the software patents are
trivial and
> obvious. Knuth did something, most of us only build on his work.
>
> ---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
> TIP 5: Have you checked our extensive FAQ?
>
> http://www.postgresql.org/users-lounge/docs/faq.html
>
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