[Opensim-dev] OpenSim - New Mumble/Murmur Module

Mon Jan 5 19:51:59 UTC 2015

Hi Terry.  This sounds like really interesting work and look forward to seeing it.

However, we can only accept code into OpenSimulator core under the three clause BSD license.  The extra clause you are 
talking about sounds much more like an AGPL license [1].  That particular license requires any changes to be distributed 
if a service is provided over the network (as opposed to the GPL, where sources are only required if a binary is 
distributed).

I will try not to get into the ideological aspects of this.  There are pros and cons - for instance, an AGPL like 
license may make more code available than would otherwise be the case, but it also scares off contributors who fear its 
affect on any code they don't want to release (this has been the case for corps such as IBM).

In practice, the BSD approach appears to have served us well.  It does lead to a split with any *GPL licensed code as it 
can't be contributed to core (apart from LGPL binaries or those with FLOSS exceptions).  I would say this is one of the 
reasons why the previous GPL licensed Mumble module is not more widely used, though even this may change with the 
improvements/implementation of the OpenSimulator/Mono.Addins package management system that Diva talks about elsewhere.

The contribution agreement that James references below is one we require when significant new features are contributed 
(other core developers have these on file).  It doesn't require any copyright assignment (the owner continues to own the 
code) but it has certain extra clauses assuring that the code is not derived from inappropriate sources (e.g. GPL'd 
code) and that any required patent licenses are granted (similar to the Apache open-source license).  The IP rights 
grant is where any patent licenses are provided back to anybody downloading the code.

If you do choose to go with a license other than BSD, I would urge you to use a recognized OSI license [2].  And in 
principle, one can have a BSD licensed region module and all other Mumble parts under another license, though this may 
affect whether it could be accepted into core.  Of course, the Vivox module is in core and that is for a completely 
proprietary service...

The improvements/impl of OpenSimulator package management/Mono.Addins may make it more viable to keep a module outside 
of core yet make it reasonably easy for people to automatically download and install.  Again, this has pros (you retain 
complete control, use what license you like) and cons (no automatic fixes if core changes, lower visibility).

Best,

Justin

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affero_General_Public_License
[2] http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Organization#Membership

On 05/01/15 16:10, James Hughes wrote:
>
> This is good news and I would love to see the code in core OpenSim. Here
> are the rules that govern submission of code to the project:
>
>   http://www.overte.org/faq.html
>   http://www.overte.org/contribution-agreement.html
>   http://www.overte.org/ip-rights-grant.html
>
> These rules have served us well in the past as evidenced by the
> longevity and user base of OpenSimulator and also by the wealth of code
> that has been entrusted to the project by countless others. The license
> which OpenSimulator is distributed under allows much freedom and does
> not encumber anyone with requirements that would possibly be detrimental
> to their projects. While it does open the possibility that one might
> make private modifications to the code, it also ensures that one can
> safely use the code to base important projects on within a framework of
> terms that allow for minimal legal entanglements. Allowing one exception
> to these rules pollutes the philosophy, encumbering all users who
> currently base projects on OpenSimulator and opens the door for more
> exceptions, which would destroy any confidence in the project as a base
> for serious work.
>
> OpenSimulator has been made significantly better by contributions from
> countless others in the way of both new functionality and bug fixes. I
> am confident your new work would benefit from the same attention that
> other works in the codebase have seen in improvements and functionality
> over time.
>
> What all that said, hopefully you will consider the value of all the
> code within the OpenSimulator project and why it is useful to so many
> and see that the best way to contribute is within the framework that we
> all have so far.
>
>
> -BlueWall
>
> On Sun, 2015-01-04 at 20:39 -0500, Terry Ford wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> Digital Worlds Group, LLC has recently contracted with a viewer
>> developer to help us to create a new Murmur/Mumble Voice solution for
>> OpenSim.
>> We have most of this solution ready for use, but it does need some
>> further work.
>>
>> The solution requires viewer code, opensim code, and the murmur server
>> to be installed and used.
>> We currently have a version of Firestorm with the required code.
>> This viewer code will be on a publicly accessible git repository for
>> all to access and should be easy for all other viewers to grab and
>> include in those releases as well.
>>
>> This solution uses the latest available release of the Murmur Server.
>>
>> We plan to release the OpenSim code as Open Source as well, and
>> intended on using a BSD 3 clause license, but we want to ensure that
>> any and all future changes to this code are contributed back to the
>> community.
>> We hope our code will be included into OpenSim core so that everyone
>> can benefit, but we want to know if anyone would take issue with an
>> included clause that specify all changes to the code be contributed
>> back to the core?
>>
>> Commercial or private use of the code will be permitted for any use,
>> without exclusions, but we want to make sure that everyone can benefit
>> from any changes others make as well, making this a true community
>> owned project.
>>
>> Anyone have any reservations about such a declaration in our license?
>>
>> Thanks.
>> --
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________________
>> Terry Ford
>> Digital Worlds Group
>> _______________________________________________
>> Opensim-dev mailing list
>> Opensim-dev at opensimulator.org
>> http://opensimulator.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/opensim-dev
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Opensim-dev mailing list
> Opensim-dev at opensimulator.org
> http://opensimulator.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/opensim-dev
> .
>

-- 
Justin Clark-Casey (justincc)
OSVW Consulting
http://justincc.org
http://twitter.com/justincc