hi

[Matthew Seaman]

Wojciech Puchar wrote:
>> FreeBSD popularity will be affected if the big cats (ie. networking
>> companies) continue to ""not contribute"" back the
> 
> this will affect their sales - FreeBSD user will simply buy network card 
> from another manufacturer.

I think the keywords here are more 'Juniper' and 'Cisco' (both of whom have
products either based on FreeBSD or incorporating quantities of FreeBSD
code, and neither of whom are in the business of making network cards that
I know of) rather than 'Intel' and 'Broadcom' (not that Intel has anything
to be ashamed of with regard to their support of their NICs under *BSD. If
anything they are the model that we would encourage other companies to
emulate).

In any case, why should companies be constrained to open their code as
the only way of giving back to an opensource community?  I agree
that it would be desirable, but commercial realities are such that it's not
going to happen any time soon.  Companies do have other routes to 'give back'
-- donations of money or equipment, sponsoring development projects or
conferences, providing day-time employment for FreeBSD developers, even just
publicly acknowledging that they use FreeBSD technology.  None of which is
required by the terms of the license, but frequently seems to happen anyhow.

	Cheers,

	Matthew

-- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                   7 Priory Courtyard
                                                  Flat 3
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey     Ramsgate
                                                  Kent, CT11 9PW

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