Dmitry,

> How they can be sure that OS dev. group will not drop
> this project? Only paying for the result.

Or paying to support the development. In this case the result is still OS
and free and users have a guarantee that the project won't die.

> Now about sources and other things. Here, in Russia, software
> piracy is widespread. That's why Yaffil team can't
> open it's sources for local market. If it will be done,
> anyone who even buys Yaffil can compile it and place it
> for free (not for fee).

Although I understand this position, it doesn't excuse the violation of IPL.

> Interesting point that none of Yaffil beta-testers or users
> complained that he has no Yaffil sources. They all satisfied
> with it's features, and they don't care about sources.

It's their problem. If they want to use an illegal software and even pay for
it, why not? Nobody can prevent them from doing it.

> Really IPL is a trap. Borland's trap. Firebird group
> trying to avoid it rewriting sources to C++, isn't it?

No, we're not.

> You can say words "we don't violate IPL" but don't tell
> me that FB Team rewrote sources to C++ only for using
> exceptions and bla-bla-bla C++ features.

You're wrong. I'm, being a core FB develeper and the project admin, telling
you that we don't violate IPL and have no plans to do this. The code is
being partially rewritten in C++ due to technological reasons only. It's up
to you whether you trust me or not, but don't accuse us without any reasons.

> As I understand IPL, anyone who provide binaries made
> with the Changed code must make these changes AVAILABLE
> for user of these binaries. I understand that if
> FB Team (or Borland) will buy Yaffil binaries, it can
> demand sources. This doesn't horrible.

You're right here.

> Returning to the sources - Yaffil can public (or provide)
> only changes to the code used as a base.
> I.e. since it's based on old C-code (and build) of FB
> it can be hardly compiled, maybe it will be impossible.
> Another way to be saved from IPL is to make all big
> changes as "includes". Yes, Yaffil team tries to
> be saved from IPL. I can't see any shame here.

Yes, it's your right to hide the new code via #include directives. But until
the base sources are available, it's still a violation of IPL.

> And returning to the russian market. Firebird is popular
> here. Yaffil team does not have an idea to force out
> Firebird (or even Interbase). Yaffil team wants to
> satisfy it's customers.

No objections.

> And I'm trying to establish collaboration between
> Yaffil and FB team - there were many cases already,
> and many will be. For example, Yaffil have some
> additional codepages support, for ex-USSR regions
> (languages). Firebird itself doesn't have interest
> to support these languages. But, not all in Russia
> will pay for Yaffil, and Yaffil now have binaries
> only for Windows (but, have some russian unix codepages
> supported).
> Why not to include these codepages in FB, to make
> Yaffil and FB more compatible? Any other collaboration
> issues can be discussed freely.

I still hope so. But there weren't any positive results so far.


Dmitry