Re: Sourcefire Acquired by Check Point Software

[Frank Knobbe <frank () knobbe us>]

On Sun, Oct 09, 2005 at 03:48:10AM +0200, Cedric Blancher wrote:
> I mean, thoses appliances "reseller-leeches" must not advertise GPLed
> software use and provide source code, do they ? So Tenable can sue them
> for such license violation. So what makes you think they will do it with
> another, even more restrictive, opensource license ?

It gives them the legal right to sue, nothing more. As I said earlier,
enforcement is a different issue altogether :)

But what makes you think closing the source will work? If Nessus 3 is still
available freely, they just repackage that and resell it. So what was the point?

> And anyway, even if their reasons may seem dumb to some, it's their
> software, their business, not ours. 

Agreed. I don't think anyone is crying foul or asking for an apology.
An official explaination with the changes would be nice, but Iheard the guys 
are currently traveling an will publish the new license details next week.

Nothing we can do about. I'll continue buying my license as before (I hope -- 
pending new license review). But I do take interest when companies, that got
their start with open source products, then turn commercial. I think commercial
entities can live together with open source. But it's interesting to see how 
some business models don't work that way in the long run while others do.

Observing how companies use open source, change license, live or die by it, 
is very eductional and fascinating. Others will hopefully learn from their 
moves, mistakes or successes.

I for one wish both SourceFire, integrated in Checkpoint, and Tenable all the
best. And I continue to use their open source products where possible.
And again, while I can understand their move, I question if this move will do
for them what they expected out of it. Time will tell.

Cheers,
Frank