kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Dick Hollenbeck <dick@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 02/18/2012 04:44 AM, Александр Закамалдин wrote:
> 02/18/2012, 01:24 from Karl Schmidt <karl@xxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>> Collecting money to pay people working on OS projects almost always ends up with hard feelings and
>> destructive results. One thought I've had is to use the internet code bidding market place to hire
>> someone to complete some feature that I don't have time to work on myself. Sharing the bid info on
>> this list would give people here a chance to participate.
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> I completely agree. Collecting money is a first step to loose open source status of Kicad.
>
> Alexander.

For KiCad to change from open source legally, it would entail getting all current owners
(copyright holders) into a single mindset, either by getting them into the same room and
getting them to agree to sell or assign their ownership interests to a single entity. Then
that single entity, now with complete unified ownership, could then proceed to act as the
outside the bounds of licensee under the GPL. They would then be the licensor, not a licensee.

However, all previous versions would still be available, including the latest version up
to the moment in time at which the single owner decided to no longer license under the
GPL. That latest version could still continue to evolve out in the GPL world, bringing in
additional new owners as contributions were made.

I see no scenario under which KiCad will "loose its open source status".

There are quite a number of dollars changing hands in support of linux. And in fact, this
is the means by which you acquire the horsepower to drive positive change at a rate that
can be significant.