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If we make sure it's licensed properly, that's not possible, right? They could hire certain people but if it's all open source, we can at worst just fork it. A

If we make sure it's licensed properly, that's not possible, right? They could hire certain people but if it's all open source, we can at worst just fork it. According to the GitHub it appears to be under GPL v3. I'm not qualified to state whether this applies to the hardware design or just the software. I certainly wouldn't want to put any effort in to a project where the IP can be bought.

vinceguidry 6y ago
Being under an open source (the term you’re really looking for is free software) license isn’t enough to protect a project. You have to maintain forward momentum. A company can buy the trademark, and the company or group of people providing that forward momentum, like Oracle did with Sun, and then, like China assimilating Hong Kong, it’s just a matter of time. Solaris died, Java got wholly corporatized and free software mostly moved on. Stallman, of course, realized this a long time ago and started a group of people, in the legal form of a charitable foundation, to keep that forward momentum going. To his telling, his Hail Mary was phenomenally successful. If what you want is to work on a platform that will stay free no matter what, your best bet is to align with the FSF. They have the most momentum, the fewest corporate threats, and a long enough memory to keep it that way.
- johnyzee 6y ago
  > Java got wholly corporatized and free software mostly moved on ?... The Java community was completely unaffected by the Oracle transition and is as strong as ever. Of course, Java wasn't open source (or "free") to begin with.
  - vinceguidry 6y ago
    Sun released the JVM under the GPL in 2006. Oracle bought them in 2009. Sun always intended to release Java as free software, they just needed to make their money first, and were a big user of dual-licensing, which is endorsed by the FSF. It's a pattern they replicated across their entire product stack. Of all the big names in the technology space that made their buck from tagging along the free software train, Sun was far far far from the worst offender. When they got bought, I have friends that were personally extremely offended, they had built their professional lives around expertise in Sun tech. And, as to "stronger than ever," if you're a new coder, are you going to learn and use and love Java, or Golang? Java is what you do for your job. The only reason it's still a thing is because of the massive existing install base. The company I work with, is already starting to treat their Java projects as legacy and most teams, including mine, are starting up, are moving, or have already moved to Golang.

vinceguidry 6y ago

Being under an open source (the term you’re really looking for is free software) license isn’t enough to protect a project. You have to maintain forward momentum. A company can buy the trademark, and the company or group of people providing that forward momentum, like Oracle did with Sun, and then, like China assimilating Hong Kong, it’s just a matter of time. Solaris died, Java got wholly corporatized and free software mostly moved on. Stallman, of course, realized this a long time ago and started a group of people, in the legal form of a charitable foundation, to keep that forward momentum going. To his telling, his Hail Mary was phenomenally successful. If what you want is to work on a platform that will stay free no matter what, your best bet is to align with the FSF. They have the most momentum, the fewest corporate threats, and a long enough memory to keep it that way.

johnyzee 6y ago
> Java got wholly corporatized and free software mostly moved on ?... The Java community was completely unaffected by the Oracle transition and is as strong as ever. Of course, Java wasn't open source (or "free") to begin with.
- vinceguidry 6y ago
  Sun released the JVM under the GPL in 2006. Oracle bought them in 2009. Sun always intended to release Java as free software, they just needed to make their money first, and were a big user of dual-licensing, which is endorsed by the FSF. It's a pattern they replicated across their entire product stack. Of all the big names in the technology space that made their buck from tagging along the free software train, Sun was far far far from the worst offender. When they got bought, I have friends that were personally extremely offended, they had built their professional lives around expertise in Sun tech. And, as to "stronger than ever," if you're a new coder, are you going to learn and use and love Java, or Golang? Java is what you do for your job. The only reason it's still a thing is because of the massive existing install base. The company I work with, is already starting to treat their Java projects as legacy and most teams, including mine, are starting up, are moving, or have already moved to Golang.