Re: [boost] Microsoft vs The Boost License

Subject: Re: [boost] Microsoft vs The Boost License
From: Paul A. Bristow (pbristow_at_[hidden])
Date: 2017-08-05 16:19:07

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Boost [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]] On Behalf Of Phil Bouchard via Boost
> Sent: 05 August 2017 15:04
> To: boost_at_[hidden]
> Cc: Phil Bouchard
> Subject: [boost] Microsoft vs The Boost License
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Just to put everybody in context:
> 
> 
> 1) Microsoft had invested into Corel so that they get rid of Corel Linux
> back in 2000 when I was working there:
> https://www.forbes.com/2000/10/03/1003corel.html
> 
> 
> 2) Microsoft once again copied my Fornux PowerCalc after I had presented
> it to them using some web interface:
> http://www.fornux.com/
> 
> With their Microsoft PowerToys:
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_PowerToys#Included_applications
> 
> 
> 3) And now here I am with Microsoft trying to copy the idea behind
> root_ptr's node_proxy:
> https://github.com/philippeb8/root_ptr
> 
> With their "deferred_ptr heap":
> https://github.com/hsutter/gcpp
> 
> 
> So for some reason I do not trust Microsoft. And I was wondering if the
> Boost license protects us from an idea behind a library we wrote.
> Otherwise this makes the Boost license not very useful.

Boost license does not protect *you* much.

What it does do is protect *everyone* from any attempt to by Microsoft or others to patent or claim copyright on the code or idea,
and thus preventing or restricting its use.

Boost provides excellent evidence of prior art, not just from being in a release, but also being the subject of public discussions
on Boost.

(If Boost had published the SHE exception handling, for example, the World would have been a Better Place ;-)  And it would have
been even better place if software patents had been very much more restricted - I blame the US and UK and EU patent offices, and too
many lawyers in parliaments.)

That is no excuse for Microsoft not giving due credit to your work.  You can't claim any recompense but it is very bad manners, in
this case bad corporate manners. 

I'd ask for your work to be recognised and referenced.  I believe Herb to be an honourable man, so I'd try him first.

Paul

PS To library authors - we should continue to explicitly acknowledge all contributions through references.

---
Paul A. Bristow
Prizet Farmhouse
Kendal UK LA8 8AB
[phone]