[linux-dvb] Re: Bye

[Johannes Stezenbach <js@convergence.de>]

Hi all,

On Fri, Sep 13, 2002 at 04:31:54PM +0200, Ralph Metzler wrote:
> 
> we just want to inform you that we stopped all our development efforts at 
> linuxtv.org. There will be no more check-ins by us. We will start our own 
> driver branch and will publish patches and new drivers somewhere else. 
> Details will be announced at www.metzlerbros.de in the next few weeks.

We Convergence guys have been thinking about what the
reasons for this are, and what we could possibly do
to avoid a split in the development of the Linux DVB
drivers and API.

The goal of Convergence has always been to promote
Open Source development of the Linux DVB drivers
and the DVB API (which was originally developed by Nokia),
and to make this API become _the_ standard DVB API for Linux.

While the drivers have always been released under the GPL,
Convergence put some restrictions on third party
contributions, in order to retain the ability to
dual-license the code developed by Convergence, i.e.
use a modified version of the code for proprietary
projects where it is often not possible to avoid NDAs.
This comes from a time where the drivers for the
Siemens DVB-S card were an integral part of Convergence's
business model.

Nowadays Convergence develops system software and
drivers for proprietary set-top-box hardware, and
our proprietary drivers are based on the GPLed DVB
driver framework, and use the standard API. This
is of mutual benefit because the Linux DVB communtity
profits from our bugfixes and enhancements, e.g.
new frontend drivers.

Thus the Convergence management agreed to drop the
dual-licensing restrictions from the DVB-drivers,
and simply publish the drivers and documentation
under the GPL.

We would also like people to stop thinking about
the DVB API and drivers as the "Convergence drivers".
We think of it as "the Linux DVB API" and "the Linux
DVB drivers", where we'll participate like others
by discussing on the mailing list and by comitting
patches.

Convergence wants to promote open discussion and
development of the API and drivers by hosting the
linuxtv.org CVS, website and mailing list. 

This means that it will be easier for other people
to get CVS accounts, and easier for people with CVS accounts
to accept patches.


Regards,
Johannes Stezenbach     (software developer)
Jacob Schröder          (head of development)


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