Comments on: Xara, Linux and Open Source http://boakes.org/xara-linux/ talking up a better world, over tea Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:58:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Chris Samuel http://boakes.org/xara-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4528 Chris Samuel Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:19:56 +0000 http://boakes.org/xara-linux/#comment-4528 Don't forget that as Xara are the copyright holders they can dual license the code quite happily under both GPL and proprietary licenses, just as MySQL do.. Don’t forget that as Xara are the copyright holders they can dual license the code quite happily under both GPL and proprietary licenses, just as MySQL do..

]]> By: Ian Kershaw http://boakes.org/xara-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4527 Ian Kershaw Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:15:57 +0000 http://boakes.org/xara-linux/#comment-4527 Oh that.... hehe :-p Oh that…. hehe :-p

]]> By: Rich http://boakes.org/xara-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4526 Rich Tue, 21 Nov 2006 17:57:34 +0000 http://boakes.org/xara-linux/#comment-4526 The avatar (lovingly edited in Xara X, natch') is a plate of sliced flour, with a single remaining central column of flour, topped by a solitary Jelly Baby. It's your penance for leading everybody in silly drinking games at our BBQ. The avatar (lovingly edited in Xara X, natch’) is a plate of sliced flour, with a single remaining central column of flour, topped by a solitary Jelly Baby. It’s your penance for leading everybody in silly drinking games at our BBQ.

]]> By: Ian Kershaw http://boakes.org/xara-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4525 Ian Kershaw Tue, 21 Nov 2006 17:34:26 +0000 http://boakes.org/xara-linux/#comment-4525 Thanks for that link - I think my understanding of GPL was at best a little fuzzy so it was good to read it up. It's certainly got me thinking and I found <a HREF="http://incubator.apache.org/ofbiz/whyopensource.html" rel="nofollow">this article on apache.org</a> It says:- <blockquote> One business model that may be profitable is to build closed source software based on open source projects. Even if these closed source products are based on open source software, they will still have all of the problems of closed source companies mentioned above. The main advantage of doing this is faster development times for the closed source software since the open source software can get the product most of the way there, and then added modules or extensions just fill in the missing pieces. Customers of closed source products based on open source software have an added advantage of lower costs because most of the functionality is free and open source. The product is also likely to be more reliable because the developers will have community approved principles and methods to build their software on. </blockquote> I suppose there are working business models out there of companies that make a profit from developing open source software - though the revenue comes from support, documentation, packaging, consulting, etc. I personally think it's a brave move and hope it brings greater success and proliferation for Xara. P.S. What the hell is that icon you have chosen for my avatar? It looks like a plate of cat sick with a cherry on it! Thanks for that link – I think my understanding of GPL was at best a little fuzzy so it was good to read it up. It’s certainly got me thinking and I found this article on apache.org

It says:-

One business model that may be profitable is to build closed source software based on open source projects. Even if these closed source products are based on open source software, they will still have all of the problems of closed source companies mentioned above. The main advantage of doing this is faster development times for the closed source software since the open source software can get the product most of the way there, and then added modules or extensions just fill in the missing pieces.

Customers of closed source products based on open source software have an added advantage of lower costs because most of the functionality is free and open source. The product is also likely to be more reliable because the developers will have community approved principles and methods to build their software on.

I suppose there are working business models out there of companies that make a profit from developing open source software – though the revenue comes from support, documentation, packaging, consulting, etc.

I personally think it’s a brave move and hope it brings greater success and proliferation for Xara.

P.S. What the hell is that icon you have chosen for my avatar? It looks like a plate of cat sick with a cherry on it!

]]> By: Rich http://boakes.org/xara-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4524 Rich Tue, 21 Nov 2006 14:30:21 +0000 http://boakes.org/xara-linux/#comment-4524 There's a nice Richard Stallman <a href="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/pragmatic.html" rel="nofollow">article which describes the power of the GPL</a> to force the release of software, and the plugin issue is an interesting one. The <a href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#GPLAndPlugins" rel="nofollow">GPL FAQ</a> has this to say on the subject: <blockquote>if the program dynamically links plug-ins, and they make function calls to each other and share data structures, we believe they form a single program ... this means the plug-ins must be released under the GPL.</blockquote> So it will depend on whether the plugins are integrated with the Camelot message passing system, or if they are stand alone and can be called via "main". There’s a nice Richard Stallman article which describes the power of the GPL to force the release of software, and the plugin issue is an interesting one. The GPL FAQ has this to say on the subject:

if the program dynamically links plug-ins, and they make function calls to each other and share data structures, we believe they form a single program … this means the plug-ins must be released under the GPL.

So it will depend on whether the plugins are integrated with the Camelot message passing system, or if they are stand alone and can be called via “main”.

]]> By: Ian Kershaw http://boakes.org/xara-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4523 Ian Kershaw Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:09:49 +0000 http://boakes.org/xara-linux/#comment-4523 GPL only applies to derived works. If they can keep some of the more powerful tools separate - say as plugins in a different code base altogether - then I see no reason why they should have to release that under GPL licence? Besides, GPL refers to programs not products and Xara is a combination of things including fonts and clipart* that they may have to licence anyway. * I'm pretty sure they own the clipart after that competition they ran with Artworks. It explains why half the clipart is fanboy art of A5000's. :-) On a different topic, being able to load, edit and save native SVG format files would be very cool. Not least so I could exploit the <a HREF="http://openclipart.org/" rel="nofollow">Open Clipart Library</a> GPL only applies to derived works. If they can keep some of the more powerful tools separate – say as plugins in a different code base altogether – then I see no reason why they should have to release that under GPL licence? Besides, GPL refers to programs not products and Xara is a combination of things including fonts and clipart* that they may have to licence anyway.

* I’m pretty sure they own the clipart after that competition they ran with Artworks. It explains why half the clipart is fanboy art of A5000’s. :-)

On a different topic, being able to load, edit and save native SVG format files would be very cool. Not least so I could exploit the Open Clipart Library

]]> By: Rich http://boakes.org/xara-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4522 Rich Mon, 20 Nov 2006 11:34:24 +0000 http://boakes.org/xara-linux/#comment-4522 Improvements to the released code made by third parties would have to be released under the GPL, because the original source is released under the GPL; this in turn would require Xara to release any future code as GPL - so if (when) there's a nightly Windows build from the GPL sources the bottom will drop out of the market, won't it? Improvements to the released code made by third parties would have to be released under the GPL, because the original source is released under the GPL; this in turn would require Xara to release any future code as GPL – so if (when) there’s a nightly Windows build from the GPL sources the bottom will drop out of the market, won’t it?

]]> By: Ian Kershaw http://boakes.org/xara-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-4521 Ian Kershaw Mon, 20 Nov 2006 10:55:58 +0000 http://boakes.org/xara-linux/#comment-4521 You're spot on with your description of Xara. It's a tool I've spent real money on and find myself reaching for whenever I need a tidy diagram or simple drawing. Be wary of ditching the Windows version for now. Whilst the open source product appears to be fully featured, according to <a HREF="http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=06/06/05/2010254" rel="nofollow"> a review</a> it is missing some important parts, namely, Xara Picture Editor, brushes as well as the clipart and fonts (which I particularly find useful) as well as being less stable. I think part of the strategy with open sourcing the product is that their Windows product will gain from any developments in the community. Happy drawing! You’re spot on with your description of Xara. It’s a tool I’ve spent real money on and find myself reaching for whenever I need a tidy diagram or simple drawing.

Be wary of ditching the Windows version for now. Whilst the open source product appears to be fully featured, according to a review it is missing some important parts, namely, Xara Picture Editor, brushes as well as the clipart and fonts (which I particularly find useful) as well as being less stable.

I think part of the strategy with open sourcing the product is that their Windows product will gain from any developments in the community.

Happy drawing!

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