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NASA: Please Explain the “Curl”

ElijahLynn 6y ago
I would be so embarrassed to have to send that email. But clearly the person needs some education on open source software because otherwise they would have opened with something like "Sorry for the formality here but could you help me out and send this to me so we can use curl..."
- dataflow 6y ago
  They're already saying that with "In compliance with {law} I am required to obtain {information}."
  - ElijahLynn 6y ago
    Yeah, it is just so impersonal and appears tone deaf.
cbsks 6y ago
He posted his response to first email like this that he received: https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2020/12/17/curl-supports-nasa/ https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2020/12/17/curl-supports-nasa/ Scott G’s comment on the blog post has some useful context.
Rebelgecko 6y ago
I think this title is a bit misleading. I'm guessing that NASA has a checklist along the lines of this for using open source software: 1. Verify that the license is compatible with how they're using the library (e.g. avoid GPL and viral licenses) 2. Verify that if the library is being modified, it's being done in a compliant way 3. Verify that the library isn't from an embargoed country and doesn't violate any sort of import/export regulations
- colejohnson66 6y ago
  Why would they need to avoid GPL? They’re not selling to the general public.
  - Rebelgecko 6y ago
    My possibly flawed understanding is that copyleft requirements can be an issue even if your code isn't available to the general public (for example if it's delivered to a foreign government partner or shared with a contractor) On top of that, NASA does release some open source code. In general, government code is supposed to be released when the least restrictive license possible which usually means something like Apache or even straight-up public domain. If you're bound by the GPL you're no longer able to do that.
    - alisonkisk 6y ago
      What do you think "possible" means? Do you think the government uses no proprietary software?
      - Rebelgecko 6y ago
        I think maybe we're misunderstanding each other because your question seems like it's asking about a different topic. There's a big difference between software the government creates using a library and software the government buys using a library. Oftentimes when the governments acquires non-OSS COTS they don't even get access to the source code.
908B64B197 6y ago
It sounds like they are asking, in a very awkward way and I'm not sure they are completely understanding their own needs, for a version of curl that can tick all the boxes for appropriation purpose (security audited by a US corporation and final sign-off by a US citizen). Question is: How much is that worth to them? You could very well have a paid NASA curl and sell that version (it's not against the GPL) and still distribute source.

I would be so embarrassed to have to send that email. But clearly the person needs some education on open source software because otherwise they would have opened with something like "Sorry for the formality here but could you help me out and send this to me so we can use curl..."

dataflow 6y ago
They're already saying that with "In compliance with {law} I am required to obtain {information}."
- ElijahLynn 6y ago
  Yeah, it is just so impersonal and appears tone deaf.

cbsks 6y ago

He posted his response to first email like this that he received: https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2020/12/17/curl-supports-nasa/ https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2020/12/17/curl-supports-nasa/ Scott G’s comment on the blog post has some useful context.

Rebelgecko 6y ago

I think this title is a bit misleading. I'm guessing that NASA has a checklist along the lines of this for using open source software: 1. Verify that the license is compatible with how they're using the library (e.g. avoid GPL and viral licenses) 2. Verify that if the library is being modified, it's being done in a compliant way 3. Verify that the library isn't from an embargoed country and doesn't violate any sort of import/export regulations

colejohnson66 6y ago
Why would they need to avoid GPL? They’re not selling to the general public.
- Rebelgecko 6y ago
  My possibly flawed understanding is that copyleft requirements can be an issue even if your code isn't available to the general public (for example if it's delivered to a foreign government partner or shared with a contractor) On top of that, NASA does release some open source code. In general, government code is supposed to be released when the least restrictive license possible which usually means something like Apache or even straight-up public domain. If you're bound by the GPL you're no longer able to do that.
  - alisonkisk 6y ago
    What do you think "possible" means? Do you think the government uses no proprietary software?
    - Rebelgecko 6y ago
      I think maybe we're misunderstanding each other because your question seems like it's asking about a different topic. There's a big difference between software the government creates using a library and software the government buys using a library. Oftentimes when the governments acquires non-OSS COTS they don't even get access to the source code.

908B64B197 6y ago

It sounds like they are asking, in a very awkward way and I'm not sure they are completely understanding their own needs, for a version of curl that can tick all the boxes for appropriation purpose (security audited by a US corporation and final sign-off by a US citizen). Question is: How much is that worth to them? You could very well have a paid NASA curl and sell that version (it's not against the GPL) and still distribute source.