Re: [XaraXtreme-dev] Cooperating with open source developers

["Jose Hevia" <jose.francisco.hevia@xxxxxxxxx>]

2007/2/16, Alex Tarkovsky <alextarkovsky@xxxxxxxxx>:
> Charles Moir wrote:
> >> But the BIG question is still; what about CDRAW?
> > But why is this the big question?
> >
> > The source code of all the product is available with the exception of
> > CDraw rendering core. This doesn't stop the product working. We make the
> > binary of this available for free to be distributed with Xara Xtreme.
> > (And increasing numbers of distros are distributing completely closed
> > source products such as Flash Player and Adobe Reader, and most Linux
> > users have these installed even where they are not distributed as part
> > of the OS).
>
> You've exhibited some fundamental misconceptions about what motivates
> open source developers. This, along with a recent open source faux pas
> committed by Xara, helps explain why you're still not getting the
> support from the open source community that you hoped for.

Agree.

> Let's get some understanding going. First, there are two steps Xara
> must take before its open source efforts can even hope to become
> successful:
>
> 1) Without CDraw, Xara no longer works. Xara needs to acknowledge that
> if CDraw is for any reason withdrawn or ceases to be supported, all
> development on the open source portions of Xara loses its "immediate
> rewards" value to open source developers. To them, this means Xara's
> most important core component can no longer be modified, patched for
> security issues, compiler-optimized, or ported for new architectures
> (and the existing binaries only suit limited needs, and even then only
> for a limited time). The potential for some viable CDraw replacement
> to eventually fill the void is of zero immediate utility, and so with
> their ability to scratch their own itches and receive instant
> gratification significantly diminished, most open source developers
> will lose interest in Xara. This is crucial to understanding open
> source motivations. (Please also realize it's unproductive and
> alienating to continue implying there are nefarious "other reasons"
> motivating their desire to have CDraw open sourced.)

GPL is the key here. Nefarious "other reasons" could be expected by
nefarious people(look at http://gpl-violations.org/), but if you don't
wet your feet you will never discover what good people could do for
Xara.

There is a reason scientific community works in an open manner. You
could hide your discoveries, but then nobody will care about you
(think casteljau and bezier, we say Bezier curves,because we don't
care Citroen knew about this before if they hide it).

Selling your program in Linux is difficult, but selling it everywhere
is difficult as well. Here Pyro studios, the creators of "Commandos"
computer game where getting 3€ for every 60 euros game sold.

Now there is a huge opportunity in Internet. Look at commercial CNR
http://www.linspire.com/lindows_products_categories.php, it is going
to be included in Ubuntu linux:
http://www.linspire.com/linspire_letter.php

IMHO there is a need for commercial apps in Linux.

Jose