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SubjectRe: IDE-Driver and APCUPSD Status (READ ME ALL)
On Fri, 16 Oct 1998, Andre M. Hedrick wrote:

>All updates of the IDE-Driver that I have been working on are suspended
>until I can resolve the mess that Mike Harris has made for me. This is
>to include the following projects in the works:

I don't think that is very fair. I've offered to help you in
whatever ways I could. Your program is GPL'd and does not offer
source code without signing a non-disclosure agreement. Your
program is a derivative work of previous GPL'd software, thus it
violates the GPL.

So, because I am trying to stop APC from benefiting from the
"free software" solution that exists, I am a bad guy because I'm
sticking up for the GPL? I just wanted the source code so that I
could try and recompile it to see if it worked on my system,
short of that, I planned on trying to fix it myself.

It is not legal to hold back source in this way, however I
certainly didn't want to see you have problems because of it. I
wanted to see the binaries disappear because they are useless to
me, but they benefit APC. If APC weren't being "legally
threatening" to you, the none of us would be in this situation.

So, if you are upset with me, so be it. My offer still stands
however to help out if I can.



>UPDATED VIA Chipset Support.
>INITIAL Alladdin IV and V UDMA direct support.
>
>Any and all bugfixes that I was hunting down for the close of the
>development kernel. Any other IDE issues that I was asked to help
>reslove.

This seems to be a "retaliation" attempt to get people upset with
me. If you feel the need to do so, go ahead, but I think it is a
sore thing to do. The APC problem, and the IDE related stuff are
two very isolated issues.

The lack of UDMA for those chipsets doesn't cause them to not
work, so I'm not worried. If you don't work on it, someone else
will, perhaps even I. I'd certainly rather see a collaboration
of efforts rather than a splitting of ways however.


>APCUPSD support is offically SUSPENDED............

That puts the GPL violation to rest. Now we can wait for APC's
reaction. Hopefully they will realize the revenue stream that
they will be missing from Linux customers due to the lack of
software for their units in Linux, and will ease up on you, thus
allowing you to release sources once again.

>I will not publish binaries ever until everyone gets of my back.

Just be sure to publish sources when everyone gets off your back,
otherwise GPL will be infringed again.

>I have such a potential legal mess to clean up after the public rape that
>I was put through. If the my source code can not be freed through proper
>channels, because they have all but been smashed by the idiots whinning
>and crying GPL GPL.

That is a childish attack. I have stood up for the GPL, because
it is this INFRINGEMENT of the GPL that has AFFECTED ME. If we
do not stand up for our rights, then we are pawns in a corporate
chess game. I have stood up for my rights, and now I am a
"whining idiot"? Due to the shit that you seem to be going
through, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and I'll let the
comments slide as people sometimes say things in anger that they
didn't mean, or that they went a little harsh with.


>Should I be unable to free the project, I WILL KILL IT and legal forbid
>anyone that has access to current source code from using it.......
>Since I am now force to try and protect myself, I will exercise all
>options to do so.

And that is *EXACTLY* what you should do! If you cannot put it
out properly GPL'd without fear of lawsuit from APC, then I don't
see any other recourse.

It is upsetting, but it is the only way to show companies like
that that if they want us to use their stuff, they have to give a
little too.

>Hey Mike, go buy some more harddrives to crash or spend the next two years
>trying to develop what you have trashed.............so quickly.

My hard disks are fine, and they will continue to be. Wishing
hard luck upon me is hardly going to benefit our cause.

What does GPL mean to everyone? Is it just a crock of shit? It
means something to me. If someone doesn't understand GPL, then
they shouldn't put their programs under such a license. GPL
protects freedom of code - that is what I'm standing up for.

I think we all definitely need to take a break here, and think of
what it is we really are hoping to accomplish in the long run.

I've learned several things so far from this experience:

1) Some people don't take the GPL seriously
2) Some people don't understand the GPL at all
3) Standing up for your rights gets you nailed to the cross


At any rate, my offers for help still stand. Once the smoke has
cleared, if we can all work together on these issues, I'm here to
do what I can - so long as legal grounds are not infringed upon,
including GPL.


TTYL

P.S. Anyone want to buy a used APC SmartUPS 600 with no
software?



--
Mike A. Harris - Computer Consultant - Linux advocate

Linux software galore: http://freshmeat.net


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