Open Letter to CNRI: Clarification on Python licensing

[Peter Schneider-Kamp]

[me, myself and I frustrated after two weeks of silence]
> - take the signatures which have been rolling in since I mailed
>   Ghengis and resend the letter with an addition that, for a change, I would
>   just love to get a reply. pros: I would feel better. cons: he didn't care
>   enough the first time to even reply at all...

[Patrick Phalen pointing out my bad choice of CC'ing python-list]
> Eek. Please be careful with these kinds of aspersions in a public
> forum. Your anxiety/frustration (doubtless shared by many of us) about
> the lack of timely and complete information about this doesn't grant you
> any special rights to act in any way beyond the reasonable course you've
> previously pursued.

I openly apologize for the "Ghengis" part of that statement. It was
meant to be funny, but after reading it again I realize that even adding
some smilie or <wink> wouldn't have sufficed to make it funny. Sorry for
that.

[Patrick Phalen continued]
> You have no evidence to aid you in interpreting the "meaning" of
> Robert Kahn's silence in the matter. In fact, he may be sitting at his
> computer right now drafting a reply ... or not. Remember that Dr. Kahn
> owes you nothing by way of a reply, neither on his own nor CNRI's
> behalf!

I disagree here. My statement that "he didn't care enought the first
time to even reply at all" was meant to point out that he hasn't
reacted to the letter in any way. Even a small reply on the terms of
"thanks for your interest. <insert reason for delay of more
thorough delay - e.g. still negotiating, very busy right now,
on holiday ...>. will come back to you." would have made me happy.
The zero reaction feels impolite to me (though I admit that there
may be reasons why he hasn't been able to write even a quick
note yet).

Of course, you're right that from a legal/economical/etc. point
of view he does not owe my a reply. But I think from a moral/
ethical/politeness point of view it would be correct for him
to react in some way.

[Patrick Phalen pointing out that Kahn is a good guy]
> Yesterday, I happened to be speaking on the phone with one of the
> parties to the negotiations and the subject came up. He had nothing but
> good things to say about Dr. Kahn's involvement.
> 
> To help you remain calm during this period, you might consider picking
> up and reading a copy of "Where Wizards Stay Up Late." If nothing else,
> you'll gain an appreciation for Robert Kahn's contribution to the
> origins of the Internet, for which we should all be grateful, IMHO.

Thanks for the book tip. I like the title - though I can't say
anything about the content yet<wink>.

thanks for the critique,
Peter
-- 
Peter Schneider-Kamp          ++47-7388-7331
Herman Krags veg 51-11        mailto:peter at schneider-kamp.de
N-7050 Trondheim              http://schneider-kamp.de