[uk.comp.os.linux] Re: Smoothwall GPL - not quite licensed under GPL

[home at alexhudson.com]

On Wed, Aug 22, 2001 at 12:45:05PM +0100, MJ Ray wrote:
> I'm particularly interested if any FSF people count the Smoothwall
> developers as friends and how we can best counteract the FUD about the
> GPL that is being spread by this project.

I knew someone once who did some documentation or website stuff for the
project ages ago; I don't think that counts ;)

Let me throw a few other vegetables into the broth: SmoothWall apparantly
now calls home (processor version, etc.), and this is now considered a
'condition of ownership': i.e., don't like it, don't install it. There seems
to be a bogus 'your mods are copyright to us too' statement in there, which
seems to be the source of the current contention (selling a modded version
of Smoothy?). 

Given they've changed the GPL, I don't think it's the GNU GPL anymore.  I
can understand the ADSL bits being notGPL - I don't think we have free adsl
drivers yet? - but as for the installer? Hmm. Do SuSE still have a non-free
license on YaST? That's what it reminds me of.

I can't say I know Jason, although I've had some dealings with him (fixing
my mail quite often - he's my ISP as well as my 'dealer' ;), and he's never
been anything other than thoroughly pleasant. I'm assuming this is pretty
much a personal thing, or at least, that is what initiated it. Also, am I
right in saying Richard at Smoothwall is/was a VA Linux employee? Both guys
seem to have a track record in not only open source, but free software. 

I wonder if we are going to see a Freewall...

Cheers,

Alex. 

--