On Tue, Jul 24, 2018 at 06:13:37AM +0000, Tsunakawa, Takayuki wrote:
> From: Bruce Momjian [mailto:bruce@momjian.us]
> > On Tue, Jul 10, 2018 at 08:20:53AM +0000, Tsunakawa, Takayuki wrote:
> > > Yes, that's one unfortunate future, which I don't want to happen
> > > of course. I believe PostgreSQL should accept patent for further
> > > evolution, because PostgreSQL is now a popular, influential software
> > > that many organizations want to join.
> >
> > Why did you say this last sentence?
>
> That's a simple story (but might still be a pipedream now.)
> PostgreSQL may become popular enough to be considered a public
> property like Linux, OpenStack and Hadoop.
I disagree with your characterization of this as a future possibility.
It's a current reality, and it got to be that way by a process I
describe below.
> Then more companies may want to join its development. For example,
> Greenplum may want to contribute its clever planner code to better
> align with the latest version of PostgreSQL, IBM may want to give
> its Netezza-specific code to reduce maintenance burdon, and
> AWS/Microsoft/Google may want to contribute some basic scalability
> and HA technology so that they can focus on more advanced features
> with less rebase burdon. I think PostgreSQL community can be ready
> to open its door a bit more to embrace big companies with many
> patents.
What made PostgreSQL attractive to those companies in the first place
was a known lack of need to have Extensive Conversations with Legal™
about licensing and other financial/IP matters. This in turn was
guaranteed by our license, which is totally pervasive in its grants,
and by our refusal, as a policy, to include anything that might
compromise those pervasive grants. We have specifically excluded, and
in at least one case removed, patented things in order to maintain
this property.
Your proposal is aimed at a problem which doesn't exist, and it is
asking us to make a titanic shift in our project policy in exchange
for benefits which are at best ephemeral, even according to you.
Please let this go.
Best,
David.
--
David Fetter <david(at)fetter(dot)org> http://fetter.org/
Phone: +1 415 235 3778
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