“IF IMITATION IS the sincerest form of flattery, the Open Source
movement should be blushing from head to toe by now. Its most
recent admirer is Sun Microsystems, who has just announced that it
will make the source code to its Solaris operating system available
under something it calls a “Community Source” license. In making
such a bold move (Solaris is their core product) Sun is embracing
everything that has made the Open Source movement such a success.
Everything, that is, except that bit about opening up their source
code.”
“Sun is attempting a quasi-Open Source move because while
they want what Linux has (an army of talented developers working
for free) they also want what Linux doesn’t have (commercial
control, patents on intellectual property, and a steady stream of
income). They are trying to split the difference by creating a
license which only allows you access to Solaris source code if you
promise not to make any money from it, and only if you agree to
co-ordinate any changes you make with Sun. In order to stave off
criticism of these restrictions (which don’t exist under real Open
Source licenses), Sun has wrapped itself in the flag of community
— after all, what could possibly be wrong with a “Community
Source” license?”