From kde-freeqt Fri Nov 27 17:32:05 1998 From: Carl Thompson Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 17:32:05 +0000 To: kde-freeqt Subject: Re: [freeqt] Licensing problem with the QPL and more X-MARC-Message: https://marc.info/?l=kde-freeqt&m=91218982509507 Jo Dillon wrote: > > Nice to see the president of Trolltech on our mailing list :) I, for one, > am fully prepared to trust you. I would trust you too, If you could address my concerns about the control TT would exert over Linux commercial development should KDE/QT become the standard. Even just your promise that Troll Tech will do the right thing in this respect would go a long way. What are your intentions? Many of the developers on this list are afraid that you would hit them with a lawsuit if they complete a toolkit that uses QT's API. Is that true? Isn't there some way that you could release QT for Linux under a license that we are more comfortable with and still make a profit? Particularly, Could Linux be a special case for you? No other needed library on Linux requires commercial developers to pay anyone to use them, so I am uncomfortable with the precedent that this would create if QT becomes standard. It was pointed out to me by someone yesterday (his initials are L.T.) that I haven't at all acknowledged the good things that your company HAS done; I've been too much worried about the bad things you MIGHT do. After thinking about it, I am deeply ashamed to realize that this is true and I must apologize to you, your company and the other developers whom I have offended with my attitude. You have helped make possible a desktop environment that I myself and millions of others productively use. Releasing QT under a freer license DOES help the Open Source community somewhat (as well as TT). It is a very nice thing you have done to allow free non-commercial use of your product. It is an good faith investment that can only reward you in the long run. I do believe I have made some valid points. It is only the methods and words with which I have attempted to persuade people that are questionable. I still believe that the QPL is not yet good enough and thus that the Harmony project is still necessary to continue the freedom that users and developers have come to expect from the Linux platform. Again, I must offer my apologies to everyone, but especially to the developers at Troll Tech. Sincerely, Carl Thompson