[Cu-wireless] Introduction

Thu Apr 29 23:49:45 CDT 2004

On Thu, Apr 29, 2004 at 08:49:54PM -0500, Willy Smith wrote:
> What I'd like to do on LinuxGazette especially is to write more about this 
> development and get some more participants involved. I've jumped the gun a 
> little on this project - I first titled it an "Open Source Mesh Project", but 
> now I realize that it's not Open Source, it's a "free downloadable boot 
> image". So, I'm wondering what your intentions are in this regard, and if 
> there are some restrictions in the software which would inhibit it from 
> becoming OS. 

Willy,

The project is absolutely open-source, however, we are behind in
publishing our source repository.  The Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless
Network uses a 4-clause BSD license (below).

Our sources essentially "wrap" the NetBSD sources.  You can think of
it as a kit to which you "just add NetBSD."  We get a lot of leverage
out of the NetBSD host tools; it should be possible to cross-build our
station boot images on virtually any operating system and architecture
you can think of.

We have more work to do than we have developer-hours to do it, so we
are definitely interested in Linux Gazette's help to enlist new folks!

Dave

*** LICENSE ***

    Copyright (c) 2005 Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center
    Foundation.  All rights reserved.

    This code was written by the Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless
    Network Project and its contributors:

		David Young         
		Sascha D. Meinrath         
		Zachary C. Miller         
		Bryan Cribbs   

    Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
    modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
    are met:

        1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
        notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

        2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
        copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
        disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
        with the distribution.

        3. All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this
        software must display the following acknowledgement: This product
        includes software developed by the Urbana-Champaign Independent
        Media Center Foundation Community Wireless Network Project.

        4. Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center's name may not be
        used to endorse or promote products derived from this software
        without specific prior written permission.

    THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE URBANA-CHAMPAIGN INDEPENDENT
    MEDIA CENTER FOUNDATION "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
    WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
    MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
    IN NO EVENT SHALL THE URBANA-CHAMPAIGN INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER
    FOUNDATION BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL,
    EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
    PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA,
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    OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Dave

> 
> Linux Gazette is a worldwide community of people helping each other with 
> Linux. As of today we have a little under 5,000 subscribers (it's free), and 
> many times that of casual readers. A vast majority of these readers are from 
> outside the US. Over 50% of our readership is from the greater Euro zone (not 
> just the EU), and we have lots of signups every day from people all over the 
> world. There are a lot of readers who can use this software, and I suspect 
> there are quite a few who could contribute to the project. 
> 
> All this is to say that I am open to doing something with LG on this project. 
> At the very least I will encourage people to download and use the software. 
> But I am also open to suggestions if you want to open the source up to the 
> community. 
> 
> I'd like to have further discussions about this on this list. My personal 
> participation would be promoting it rather than contributing very much 
> technically. I do have the personal intention of setting up a couple of PCs 
> to try the software, and making a community network here in Ciudad Panam?, 
> but I'm still in the middle of an international move and won't be able to do 
> that for some time - realistically at least a month or two. 
> 
> I'd like to go slowly, though. The need for this project is definitely there, 
> especially in countries with less-developed infrastructures. The difficult 
> thing is education and getting people motivated to actually do the things 
> necessary to make it work. But, it is possible, and it is beginning to happen 
> already.
> 
> I apologize in advance if I'm making too many assumptions. I realize that my 
> experience is not the same as for those who live in the urban US, and that 
> there may be some cultural difficulty relating to what's going on outside the 
> US. I would like to say that what you're doing is really great and I 
> personally appreciate it. I especially like the fact that the platform is 
> kept to a minimal requirement, as this is the reality in developing 
> countries. I can buy an old PC to run this on practically anywhere for $100 
> or less; what's generally not recognized is that $100 is a *major investment* 
> for someone in a developing country. 
> 
> Well, that's a start. Any comments are appreciated. I will also understand if 
> you tell me to go away, and won't be offended in the least.
> 
> Thanks and regards,
> 
> -- 
> Willy Smith
> Editor in Chief
> www.LinuxGazette.com
> www.a42.com
> Panama
> 
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> Project Page: http://cuwireless.ucimc.org
> 

-- 
David Young             OJC Technologies
dyoung at ojctech.com      Urbana, IL * (217) 278-3933