TapeWorm

A MythTV Parasite for Windows

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TapeWorm's Source Code and "Open-Sourciness"

TapeWorm's Source Code is not yet available.  I did spend several hours today completing the source code documentation, so that my code will likely make sense to others who look at it.  It's a first step.

I still need to establish a mechanism for making the source code available.  I need to write web pages describing the prerequisites and saying how to set up the development environment.  I need to create a TapeWorm-dev mailing list. 

For now, here's what I'll do.  I'll be happy to send you the source code if you are willing to agree to the following terms, which have a considerable degree of Open-Sourciness to them:

  1. You're free to make any changes you want for personal use.  (If you're not sure whether something fits under "personal use", please ask me!  Copies for your immediate family and roommates count.  Distribution to 100 of your closest friends probably doesn't.)
     
  2. If you make changes you're happy with, I'd appreciate it if you'd send them back to me for inclusion in the official distribution of TapeWorm. However, this is not required.
     
  3. You agree not to distribute the source or any program derived from my code without my explicit permission. 
     
  4. I agree to distribute TapeWorm, with submitted changes, either following the current "char-ware" model benefiting Candlelighters or as fully-Open Source software.  I agree not to convert the work of others into something that benefits me financially, but reserve the right to go fully open source if I choose to.  I also won't  take up a "cripple-ware" model, where there are enforced registrations or partially-enabled distributions or any of that crap.
     
  5. I don't take on any liability for anything related to the software.  Neither do you.  The program and code are distributed "as is", and everyone is responsible for their own system.

Bottom line, I'll make the source code available, and people can do whatever they want with it for personal use.  But I retain the right to be the exclusive distributor of TapeWorm and derivative products.  I'll either continue the current model of soliciting donations for Candlelighters or I'll go fully open source, but I will not go for-profit or privatize to any degree greater than the status quo. Anyone who requests the source code implies that they accept the distribution model I've outlined here.  Any one who submits source code changes to me impicitly agrees that their changes can be distributed this way.

So it's not exactly Open Source, but it's close.  Really the only difference is that I want to keep control of distribution so that I can continue to use the product as a fund-raising tool for a charitable organization I strongly support.  This is a significant difference from the GNU-GPL, where anyone can distribute the program or derivatives, even for profit.  But it's a lot better than the closed-source model in my opinion.

For now, if you would like to get the source code, send an e-mail to david at spurgeonwoods dot com stating that you agree to these terms, and I'll send you the latest source code.  I'll update this page and the overall source code distribution system as I have time over the summer.