[Opensim-dev] An Open Letter to Open Source and OpenSimCommunities

[Ryan McDougall]

On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 6:26 PM, Chris Down <chris.down at alcor.co.uk> wrote:
>
> Ryan McDougall wrote:
>> However, let me give you some basic reasons why we were unable to join
>> an existing effort:
>>
>> == OpenViewer
>> Unable to join due to zero tolerance policy towards LL source code
>> exposure. This eliminates all of our viewer programmers.
>> http://openviewer.org/wiki/ContributionsPolicy
>>
>> Please rest assured that we have and continue to have ongoing
>> consultations with US IP lawyers regarding specific means of
>> protecting reX and its contributors from spurious legal claims,
>> however we must disagree with the strictness of the OpenViewer policy.
>
> From my understanding Opensim has the same policy. I therefore assume that
> you will have an 'isolated' software team working on your viewer and none of
> this team will be contributing code to Opensim. I also assume that any

None of those viewer programmers have ever contributed, nor will they start.

> contributors to your viewer will not be able to contribute to Opensim. If
> this is the case then they will also not be able to contribute to the
> Idealist viewer as the people working on this are opensim contributors.
> Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

I think you should clarify all of those assumptions with opensim core
and opensim's lawyers.

I think there are several developers, even in core, who have viewed LL
source at one point in their lives?

> The beauty (for me anyway) of the IdealistViewer is that it is possible to
> be involved in contributing patches to both Opensim and IdealistViewer.
>
>
> I think that it is important to clarify this issue to prevent problems in
> the future.

reX is working closely with US IP lawyers to prevent any legal issues
from affecting anyone who contributes to the code-base, including its
own employees, whom they are quite fond of. However the application of
law and the risk presented by potential suits is subject to individual
perception or tolerance. It is an issue of OpenSim policy, and not
really something I can speak on. You should consult your own lawyer,
and not just for copyright issues, but software patents in particular.

Luckly OpenSim has pro bono lawyers working for it, and I recommend
consulting with them thoroughly instead of relying on word-of-mouth or
back-seat legalizing.

If OpenSim decides a restrictive policy with regard to copyright risk
in conjunction with its lawyers, then it will be a shame to pass up on
that cooperation, but we will respect that policy.

> Chris Down

Cheers,