Apple contributes BACK to the open source community, this is a surprise!

[Deja Q]

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-5735660.html

This changes my opinions completely.

Excerpt:

When Apple chose KHTML as the basis of Safari--bypassing the better-known Mozilla open-source browser project--KDE developers had high hopes that Apple's involvement and investment would jumpstart the project.

KHTML was originally written to work in the Konqueror browser on top of KDE (the K Desktop Environment), an interface for Linux and Unix operating systems.

But two and a half years later, the comparative obscurity with which Apple coders carried out their work left KDE unable or unwilling to implement Apple changes. As a result, the KHTML and WebCore efforts began to diverge, or "fork," in programming parlance.

KDE developers on Tuesday applauded Apple's open-source reformation and expressed hope it would help bring the original and Apple's version closer together.

The aforementioned link has more.

[benburch]

1. Not a surprise AT ALL.

They created mkLinux JUST for the open source community. And they have given out all of the source for Darwin, the BSD-mk OS under OSX!

I used to run mkLinux on a 7100. Worked great!

[Deja Q]

3. It is from my perspective.

But I am somewhat cynical and anti-corporation, though for valid reasons.

Apple was a taker. A leecher. As many other companies are regarding Linux. To see them give back is a TREMENDOUS surprise, which would make even me consider looking at their product in the future.

[benburch]

5. But they did mkLinux from 1996 through 1999 at their expense!

They hired developers to make a microkernel Linux JUST for giving to the open source community. And I found it to be quite valuable.

And Darwin is and always has been given back. And changes from Darwin have rolled into FreeBSD and to the GNU-ware components.

And Darwin Streaming Server, the free version of Quicktime Streaming Server. Quite usable, though I use icecast for a few technical reasons.

Not really leeching, is it?

They did need to give back their mods to KHTML, but when they tried in the past to include them in the Konqueror source tree, they were rebuffed by people who did not see the need for the code changes Apple proposed.

So of course it forked!

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Back together again..."

to be sung sweetly to the tune of "Back together again..." of course.

Mega-rahrahs from a Mac Powerbook dude, merrily running Tiger OS 10.4.1 -- but using Firefox 1.0.3 to surf. May want to take another look at Safari...

[glitch]

4. Mozilla rocks on Linux. My 2 cents. nt

[benburch]

6. I have Tiger...

But the ONLY time I am not recording shows is in the dead of night between Saturday and Sunday.... So I have not yet had an opportunity to upgrade.