> SD> One of the things you have to promise to become an "official
> SD> APRS software author" is never to release your source code.
>
>Really? That's insidious. What could be the point of that?
>
SDK> Per Bob, the primary reason is that if people could modify
SDK> the code and get on the air, the protocol would break down.
Sort of like TCP/IP?
SDK> And he does have a point. Given the present state of the
SDK> documentation on the protocol, and the way he changes it
SDK> when he feels the urge, it is hard enough for the four
SDK> major versions (Mac/WinAPRS [common codebase], APRSdos,
SDK> APRS+SA, and javAPRS) to keep in sync. The more authors in
SDK> a situation like that, the more chances for confusion.
I think the lessons of experience in protocol design are clear: if you take
this approach, it just forces the world to do an end run around you.
SDK> My argument that the answer is not to lock up the source code,
SDK> but rather to formalize the protocol, has fallen on deaf ears.
It worked for TCP/IP, which I've heard is very popular lately.
SDK> Money is the other less often admitted reason he opposes
SDK> source code release.
Yes, but other people's source code?
-- Mike