[maemo-developers] Corporate ownership of open source projects [LWN]

[From: Ian Lawrence]

>  The funny thing is that steps in the right direction like opening up
>  the hildon input framework and HE
>  where not pick up that well(IMHO...).This while we have screamed (and
>  thus decided that is was important) thing to do.
>  What you are saying that there is no path in between. we need
>  root at maemo.org , serial cables,and hardware specs!
>
>  That would be a very interesting experiment.

Right...
It is like that game of 'pass the parcel' you play as kids when you
unwrap a layer of a present when the music stops. It does not matter
how interesting each layer is (Hildon Input Framework etc) if the
final layer has a padlock around it. It would have been better to have
played 'Hide and Seek'  instead, you get no prize but at least you
know whats gonna happen and its free.

Maybe a clever solution to this would be for Nokia to take some dead
product that everyone has forgotten about and completely open it.
Hell, even make some marketing splash like:
'In response to community feedback we are releasing 'X' under the GPL.
In its time 'X' had the most innovative power management on the market
but we think that this can be improved by a 'lots of eyeballs'
approach. Prove us right, do your bit for the planet and join us on
maemo.org'
I'd hack on it anyway

Ian

-- 
http://ianlawrence.info