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Is this actually a GNU project? I don't fully understand who's behind this. I also don't understand why the name would have been chosen, as it seems to not have

Is this actually a GNU project? I don't fully understand who's behind this. I also don't understand why the name would have been chosen, as it seems to not have a good connotation? I'm also a little confused about their problems with Rust (https://wiki.hyperbola.info/doku.php?id=en:main:rusts_freedom_flaws https://wiki.hyperbola.info/doku.php?id=en:main:rusts_freedo...) Firefox also has the same trademark issues, but there are multiple forks/distributions of it with the trademarked material removed. It seems like a petty thing to bring up on an "about" page. Also, it feels weird that they complain that linux is including some things they don't like (e.g. HDCP), but at the same time just gloss over that the BSDs are they base of many proprietary products where you can't get the source at all. I mean, I hate DRM and things like HDCP as much as anyone, but it just feels like an _off_? argument?

natechols 7y ago
My interpretation of their plan is that the new OS will contain enough GPL code (on top of the BSD base) to effectively prohibit its use in proprietary closed-source products.
tndl 7y ago
I was about to post with the same question about Rust. It looks like there's no issue with using anything other than the "Rust" or "Cargo" names and the logo, as per this: > You are correct that we intended the trademark to apply when > distributing a package or other binary called "Rust" -- and in > particular that if modifications are made, then we would expect a > trademark request outlining the sorts of changes being made (as the > policy notes though, we are inclined to accept such a request). > regards, > Niko https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/53287 https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/53287 This thread in the project's (hyperbola) issue tracker seems silly and needlessly exclusive, given what seems to be a relatively minor restriction: https://issues.hyperbola.info/index.php?do=details&task_id=736 https://issues.hyperbola.info/index.php?do=details&task_id=7...
tptacek 7y ago
Hyperbole is bad. A hyperbola is a mathematical object.
- duskwuff 7y ago
  That being said, the project seems to be using a lot of hyperbole to justify its existence...
ebiester 7y ago
They have the same complaint about Firefox. https://wiki.hyperbola.info/doku.php?id=en:main:rusts_freedom_flaws https://wiki.hyperbola.info/doku.php?id=en:main:rusts_freedo... That said, I don't understand how that is in violation of freedom 3. It is just saying, "if you want to redistribute it, don't call it rust so that nobody gets confused and we don't get stuck supporting your fork." I think that there is a higher barrier for something like firefox due to the graphics, but Rust only has a simple copy and paste. And if your whole purpose is to hard fork, why is that a problem? I think that the requirement for internet access to build might be harder for Hyperbola's goals, but shrug
- steveklabnik 7y ago
  There is no requirement for internet access, they are mistaken.
tndl 7y ago
It also seems like there's a similar trademark and policy for C++, unless I'm misunderstanding: https://isocpp.org/home/terms-of-use https://isocpp.org/home/terms-of-use
- saagarjha 7y ago
  The trademark policies you linked only seem to apply to the C++ logo and other content produced by the Standard C++ Foundation.
TazeTSchnitzel 7y ago
> Also, it feels weird that they complain that linux is including some things they don't like (e.g. HDCP), but at the same time just gloss over that the BSDs are they base of many proprietary products where you can't get the source at all. I mean, I hate DRM and things like HDCP as much as anyone, but it just feels like an _off_? argument? It's strange, isn't it? The Sony PlayStation applies HDCP to some (all?) game content, and you can't disable it given its OS is based on FreeBSD, which isn't copyleft, so they don't have to release the source. Whereas, if it were hypothetically based on the copyleft kernel Linux, then you might stand a chance of disabling HDCP and recompiling it. Quite unlikely in practice though.
mattl 7y ago
> Is this actually a GNU project? No. It's an endorsed distribution of Linux by the FSF. The BSD fork will need to be evaluated by the FSF too.

natechols 7y ago

My interpretation of their plan is that the new OS will contain enough GPL code (on top of the BSD base) to effectively prohibit its use in proprietary closed-source products.

tndl 7y ago

I was about to post with the same question about Rust. It looks like there's no issue with using anything other than the "Rust" or "Cargo" names and the logo, as per this: > You are correct that we intended the trademark to apply when > distributing a package or other binary called "Rust" -- and in > particular that if modifications are made, then we would expect a > trademark request outlining the sorts of changes being made (as the > policy notes though, we are inclined to accept such a request). > regards, > Niko https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/53287 https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/53287 This thread in the project's (hyperbola) issue tracker seems silly and needlessly exclusive, given what seems to be a relatively minor restriction: https://issues.hyperbola.info/index.php?do=details&task_id=736 https://issues.hyperbola.info/index.php?do=details&task_id=7...

tptacek 7y ago

Hyperbole is bad. A hyperbola is a mathematical object.

duskwuff 7y ago
That being said, the project seems to be using a lot of hyperbole to justify its existence...

ebiester 7y ago

They have the same complaint about Firefox. https://wiki.hyperbola.info/doku.php?id=en:main:rusts_freedom_flaws https://wiki.hyperbola.info/doku.php?id=en:main:rusts_freedo... That said, I don't understand how that is in violation of freedom 3. It is just saying, "if you want to redistribute it, don't call it rust so that nobody gets confused and we don't get stuck supporting your fork." I think that there is a higher barrier for something like firefox due to the graphics, but Rust only has a simple copy and paste. And if your whole purpose is to hard fork, why is that a problem? I think that the requirement for internet access to build might be harder for Hyperbola's goals, but shrug

steveklabnik 7y ago
There is no requirement for internet access, they are mistaken.

tndl 7y ago

It also seems like there's a similar trademark and policy for C++, unless I'm misunderstanding: https://isocpp.org/home/terms-of-use https://isocpp.org/home/terms-of-use

saagarjha 7y ago
The trademark policies you linked only seem to apply to the C++ logo and other content produced by the Standard C++ Foundation.

TazeTSchnitzel 7y ago

> Also, it feels weird that they complain that linux is including some things they don't like (e.g. HDCP), but at the same time just gloss over that the BSDs are they base of many proprietary products where you can't get the source at all. I mean, I hate DRM and things like HDCP as much as anyone, but it just feels like an _off_? argument? It's strange, isn't it? The Sony PlayStation applies HDCP to some (all?) game content, and you can't disable it given its OS is based on FreeBSD, which isn't copyleft, so they don't have to release the source. Whereas, if it were hypothetically based on the copyleft kernel Linux, then you might stand a chance of disabling HDCP and recompiling it. Quite unlikely in practice though.

mattl 7y ago

> Is this actually a GNU project? No. It's an endorsed distribution of Linux by the FSF. The BSD fork will need to be evaluated by the FSF too.