A short while back, I posted on some of the misleading statements Novell’s Joe Brockmeier made in an interview with eWeek Europe.
Today, Sam Varghese over at ITWire has a new article, “OpenSUSE’s Brockmeier caught out over Moglen claim” where he follows up Novell’s claims about Eben Moglen with Eben Moglen.
Here’s what Novell’s mouthpeice Mr. Brockmeier proposed in the original eWeek interview:
Even Eben Moglen [Columbia law professor and founder of the Software Freedom Law Center] approved of the deal and said it was compliant with the GPLv2 licence agreement.
And here is Mr. Moglen’s direct reponse as given to Mr. Varghese:
I *did* say the deal didn’t violate GPLv2 section 7
[...]
I *disapproved* of the deal, quite firmly; there is some rather popular video of me on the web explaining why, in relation to Microsoft’s annual ‘Be Very Afraid’ tours
Everyone who knows anything about the Microsoft/Novell deal – among whom I assume Mr. Brockmeier is counted – understand this position. The entire “trick” that permitted the deal was a this loophole of letter-compliance but spirit-violation under the GPLv2 which was specifically closed in the GPLv3.
And when I say specifically, I mean the Microsoft/Novell deal was listed by name.
Why the pretense that someone acknowledging Novell pulled a fine-print fast one and got away with it is equal to approval and endoresement? I understand the desire to spin a shameful collaboration of betrayal and discrimination on Novell’s part, but why try to use the name and reputation of someone who publicly condemns you? They will surely correct your gross distortions, and then where are you? (Still on Novell’s payroll! <rimshot>)
Finally, In his commentary, Mr. Vargahese goes on to make a point:
Brockmeier has been around free and open source software a long time, as a writer and editor, before he took up the post of community manager sometime in 2008. This makes his claims all the more surprising.
I don’t find it surprising at all, because I know where Mr. Brockmeier gets his corn-pone.
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