The kernel and BitKeeper part ways [LWN.net]

The kernel and BitKeeper part ways

Posted Apr 7, 2005 10:04 UTC (Thu) by wookey (subscriber, #5501)
Parent article: The kernel and BitKeeper part ways

Well, an interesting development. Who was the individual who refused to stop reverse engineering, I wonder?

I always refused to use BK because I didn't like the license (especially the 'no work on competing products' - that was the point at which I decided I was never going to use it). I have been involved in a couple of projects where there were strong network incentives to use BK (e.g. Openembedded), and I even do a bit of kernel hacking occaisionally. I was never very happy about the way this non-free software was becoming embedded in community development. I'm glad to see that period is over (well, hopefully), and I hope lessons are learned.

So I shall sit back and feel slightly smug and pure today :-) I didn't violate anyone's licenses and can claim to have been 'right all along', albeit somewhat incovenienced along the way.

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The kernel and BitKeeper part ways

Posted Apr 7, 2005 14:18 UTC (Thu) by farnz (subscriber, #17727) [Link]

The version of events I've heard from the rumour mill is as follows:

Andrew Tridgell (of Samba fame) starts reverse engineering BK in his spare time.
BitMover asks OSDL to tell him to stop, as they believe it infringes their licence.
OSDL tell him to stop, making it clear that any work done on OSDL time is going to cost him his job; he continues working on it in his spare time.
BitMover tells OSDL that he's still hacking on it, and demand that he's told to stop.
OSDL turn round and say that he's not doing it on work time, so they can't do more to stop him.
BitMover tell OSDL to fire him or they'll withdraw the licence. OSDL refuse.
The licence is withdrawn.

Of course, this is all rumour, and backed up with as much evidence as you'd expect from rumour.

The kernel and BitKeeper part ways

Posted Apr 7, 2005 16:02 UTC (Thu) by daniel (subscriber, #3181) [Link]

If true, would it mean that Andrew can now go full time on his reverse engineering work, for the purpose of, say, importing the BitKeeper graph into Bazzzr-ng?