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RE: [ANNOUNCEMENT] Cygwin/XFree86 DocBook-based FAQ Draft 3


Robert,

> It's wrong. The original FAQ is the definitive answer:

What original FAQ?

In the FAQ I wrote, "Cygwin/XFree86 may qualify as a platform that Open
Motif can be distributed with and used on, but work has yet to begin on
determining if that is the case."

>From the Open Motif FAQ:

Q: How does The Open Group define the term "Operating System" Does this
apply to the kernel or the complete distribution?

A: The Open Group's intent is that this applies only to the kernel of the
operating system, without regard to any bundled utilities or application
software. This includes all known distributions of Linux and BSD
distributions. To find out if an operating system qualifies check whether
kernel sources are available under criteria meeting the OSI's Open Source
Definition.

I'm pretty sure that we'd actually have to contact The Open Group to check
which side of "Open Source" we fall on, as Cygwin has a kernel that is
clearly Open Source, whereas the Windows kernel is not Open Source.  Which
kernel are we to consider?  The kernel that we depend upon, which would be
Cygwin?  Or, the kernel that we can sometimes interact with, which would be
Widnows?

Furthermore, one could make the case that Cygwin/XFree86 is a program that
allows Wine users running on Linux to run X programs under Wine.  In that
case we would clearly be running with an Open Source kernel, so we would be
able to distribute and use Open Motif with Cygwin/XFree86, right?

I think my indefinite wording is probably the correct thing to say :)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not sure, but you may have been implying that Open Motif is only the
"contributions" to Motif, not the central Motif source itself.  I'll go
ahead and address that with another quote from the Open Motif FAQ:

Q: What is Open Motif? How does it differ from standard Motif?

A: Aside from some different copyright and license statements, both Motif
and Open Motif share the same functionality and source code. The primary
difference is the software license for each of the software products. Open
Motif source code and binaries can be distributed royalty free under The
Open Group Public License as long as the operating system upon which Open
Motif is running meets the OSI's Open Source Definition. Motif is made
available under the standard Open Group software licenses and requires the
payment of source code and royalty fees.

I'd say that clearly indicates that Open Motif and Motif are the same thing,
even if you hadn't implied otherwise :)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Furthermore, the general gist of the Open Motif FAQ,
http://www.opengroup.org/openmotif/faq.html, indicates that Open Motif is
going to be available in the future under an true open source license after
the lawyers get their money :)

Harold


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