FunnelWebmanagementFunnelWebofficial
I intend to maintain an official copy of FunnelWeb and release it under
GNU license from time to time so that everyone can use it. Unfortunately
its going to be a little messy.
For a variety of reasons, I want to maintain
total control over ımy copy of the official version of FunnelWeb.
Some of the reasons are:
- If it turns out that there is an enormous demand for
FunnelWeb (unlikely) then
I want to be able to create a business based on it, or at least
be able to bundle it with other products.
This would be difficult if the only up-to-date copy available was a GNU copy.
Note: If this happens, all the GNU releases of FunnelWeb will remain
valid.
- I want to be able to copy code from my version of FunnelWeb
into commercial products without having to worry about the GNU license.
The trouble is that (in my understanding of copyright law),
once a copy of FunnelWeb has been released under GNU license, then it
and any works derived from it fall under GNU license too. This means that
if you modify a GNU release of
FunnelWeb and send me your modifications, and I incorporate
them into my version, then I no longer own copyright on the version I
modified. Basically, if GNU touches a work, then that copy is gone forever.
My solution to the problem is to keep a copy of FunnelWeb that is
GNU-clean and only make modifications to it that are GNU-clean. So
long as my official copy is GNU clean, any modifications that I make
myself will be GNU clean. The problem comes when someone else modifies
the GNU version and then wants me to incorporate the modifications into
my official version. As I understand the law, by default, the programmer
owns the modifications (because he made them), but the result of making
the modifications falls under GNU license. What I propose is that those
who want their modifications included in the official copy of FunnelWeb
sign an agreement transferring copyright of the modifications over to
me on condition that the result be released under GNU license within
a certain time period. demonstrates the process.
There are two main disadvantages to this scheme:
- Getting each person who contributes modifications to FunnelWeb
to sign and send a piece of paper signing away copyright will be tedious.
- Programmers may be reluctant to sign away copyright on modifications
because the result could be used by me for commercial purposes
by me at a later date (Note: But it must be released under GNU as well).
These disadvantages are regrettable consequences of my decision to retain
total control over the official version of FunnelWeb.
The upshot of all this is that:
- I will never allow any code from a GNU release of FunnelWeb to
touch my official copy. Only modifications will be acceptable.
- If you make a modification to FunnelWeb and send it to me for
inclusion in the official version, I will not incorporate your
modification until I have received a signed declaration transferring copyright.
I will prepare such a contract when the first person sends me a worthy
modification!
- If you intend to make changes to FunnelWeb that are so massive that they
will involve wide-scale modification of the source files, and you want
the modification to be part of the official version,
it might be a good idea to contact me before doing so. There are two
reasons for doing this. First, it allows me a chance to comment on your
proposed modifications and give my opinion on whether they are likely to be
incorporated into the official version. Second, I can send you a copy
(under special license) of the GNU-clean official version to work on. This will
allow you to ship back your changes as files rather than as change sections.
As a separate point from the legal issues, I am likely to turn out to be
pretty picky about what modifications I will incorporate into the
official copy. Whether a modification will be accepted will depend,
amongst other things, on the following criteria.
- Does the modification fit in with the design goals of FunnelWeb, or
is it just a case of creeping featurism?
- How well coded is the modification? Would it reduce the quality of the
code?
- If the modification changes FunnelWeb's functionality, is this a
desirable change? How will it impact on existing users?
- Would it be quicker for me to make the modification myself than
to work out how to incorporate the submitted modification?
It is my goal to guard the integrity of the design and code of the
official version of FunnelWeb and so I will probably be rather
fussy about what I regard as a worthwhile modification. I do not wish to
lose control of the code, either technically or legally.