Educause Security Discussion mailing list archives
Re: PIX/AS Vs. Linux/IPtables
From: Kevin Wilcox <wilcoxkm () APPSTATE EDU>
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 14:20:02 -0400
2009/10/1 Josh Richard <jrichar4 () d umn edu>:
I should have been more clear on the reservation. Given the choice between GPL and BSD licensing after much internal debate, where possible we opt for GPL. The analysis of the BSD argument being more free since it only requires acknowledgment to the original authors I believe is valid. Saying that, there is opportunity to introduce a proprietary branch at a later time. Doing so is a freedom, therefore BSD is more free as it is less restrictive. Where possible we accept the position of the GPL as an internal direction for tools and systems we construct to support networking process. Obviously, this is not possible 100% of the time across all all projects, hardware etc but that is the direction the in house ship tracks.
It's certainly worth considering whether future releases of the software you use will be freely available for use, modification, etc., and as a former GPL advocate I can appreciate making an internal decision to stick with software under that license whenever possible. What threw me for the loop was "potential license restrictions" as the software one currently uses, GPL or BSD licensed, will always be available under that license, it's only future releases where that may change. It's probably worth noting that a current release may be under the GPL (or a BSD-style license) but the next release may not provide source code at all so I tend to think in terms of what the current license is, not what it may be licensed as in the future.
I don't want to speak for you, did I capture your greater freedoms?
Oh no, not at all. Like I said, my confusion was over the phrasing and I was wondering if there was something I had missed. Thanks for the clarification! kmw -- Kevin Wilcox Network Infrastructure and Control Systems Appalachian State University Email: wilcoxkm () appstate edu Office: 828.262.6259
Current thread:
- Re: PIX/AS Vs. Linux/IPtables Josh Richard (Oct 01)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: PIX/AS Vs. Linux/IPtables Kevin Wilcox (Oct 01)
- Re: PIX/AS Vs. Linux/IPtables Josh Richard (Oct 01)
- Re: PIX/AS Vs. Linux/IPtables Kevin Wilcox (Oct 01)