[sword-devel] Multimap (was: I want to port the API to Java)

[Chris]

> Many Java and C compilers are not freely distributable in source form 
> either, yet we support them...  Okay, that's not the same thing, 

As you say, it's not the same thing.

> but it seems we're in the business of spreading the Gospel of Christ 
> not necessarily the Gospel of Open Source.  My point is open source in 
> all its glory is still just a means to an end, not necessarily the end 
> in and of itself. 

As you said, Open Source IS a means to an end. That's why you are using 
it, because it IS an effective means. Closed source is not such an 
effective means.

>
> If an external library does it faster and more compact than we could 
> on our own, I don't see anything against it, especially if we can 
> distribute it ourselves and the end user doesn't even have to know.

Will you see something against it when Objectspace pulls it and you are 
left high and dry?

>   If it adds bloat and useless features we could avoid by doing it 
> ourselves, then lets do it ourselves if feasible.  Also if it's a very 
> large and complicated project and a moving target and in a field where 
> we're not all experts and something we really need (like Unicode, 
> though Java already has that), let's use an external library too if 
> there's a good one.  It's your call.
>
> As always, I only speak my own opinions, the only ones I have... ;o)
>
> Dave
>
> At 11:28 PM 12/8/2001 +1100, Chris wrote:
>
>> So you are comfortable that Sword will depend on a library that you 
>> have no right to distribute
>> in source form?
>> And if ObjectSpace ever pulled the library, you would have to, for 
>> all practical purposes,
>> stop using it? Seems a high price to pay for something so minor as a 
>> collection class.
>>
>> Troy A. Griffitts wrote:
>>
>>>> I just read the jgl licence. It's _not_ a free or open-source licence.
>>>
>>>
>>> Not sure your point.  It is freely distributable by us in binary form,
>>> and I'm not trying to gain the world for RMS, but for Christ.
>>
>>
>