At 04:18 PM 4/20/01 +0200, you wrote:

> Is a 3050 communications software totally built without using ipl:ed code
> still to be considered
> code containing ipl:ed material? I was thinking that you could build a

glp:ed

> driver
> if you don't use any ipl:ed code(but still speak to firebird via 3050).
>
> Pretty much like phoenix bios vs IBM bios - a compatible!
>

There is no problem talking to 3050. The problem is picking up
code from interserver, transmogrifying into Java, and releasing
it under GPL. No problem taking techniques, algorithms, etc.
But cut and paste is out.

Personally, I don't like GPL, particularly when a company uses GPL
to get free development that they incorporate on a non-GPLed version.
This is exactly the same sort of Trojan horse that Stahlman, et al,
complain about Unisys and the LZW patent. The LZW scheme was written
in the academic literation, widely distributed in code, and adopted
by Compuserver (AOL?) in GIF. Then Unisys started demanding a
license fee for commercial use. Any product that produced GIFs
had to pay Unisys a 5% of gross royalty. That stinks.

The same thing happens in open source. The Java BigInteger class
is built around a crypto arithmetic package by a fellow named
Colin Plumber. GPLed. Used universally, but if you're a developer
who works for a living, you have to pay a royalty like Sun, IBM,
and Microsoft.

I don't mind in the least that he's peddling his code. I peddle
code, at least on my good days. I do object that he tosses it
out as a de facto standard with heavy strings attached.

So here's the ODBC driver and JDBC compliant interface component.
You are free to do anything you want with it. Use it as is,
make it work first, teach it new tricks, shared it with your
friends, make a buck or a ruble. But there are two things
you cannot do, ever:

1. Redistribute without pubishing your changes to my code.
2. Put a single line of it under GPL.

Jim Starkey