[ Thanks to Henry for
this link. ]
This column argues that calling OS X an embrace of Open Source
on the part of Apple is a lie, and cites the license of the code
Apple used to back up that assertion, maintaining that Apple has
taken plenty and given nothing back, exactly as it’s entitled.
Beyond that, we read that Apple’s behavior may even be hurting the
Open Source community at large.
Two examples Leibovitch gives are QuickTime support, decoders
for which Apple not only won’t provide in binary form but actively
discourages development on; and TrueType support, which, while
moving ahead in terms of maturity, is under a potential legal cloud
should Apple decide to weigh in against the FreeType project.
“Because Apple is using technology licensed without
restrictions, rather than under the GPL commonly found in Linux
software, the company can use Mach code, exploit what the open
source community has done, make proprietary modifications, and give
back nothing of substance. And that appears to be exactly what
Apple has done,” he argues.
Complete Column