[LAD] GPL Violation Alert! - I talked with the President of Beat Kangz Today

Tue Aug 4 21:38:59 UTC 2009

Good point(s).  I can only assume that they were assuming that Mac users 
don't know what LADSPA is and that the Mac users wouldn't pay much 
attention to the new LADSPA folder that appears on the system.  To many 
assumptions there.  I have mixed emotions about this. 

Whatever the case may be, I'm glad that I could make you guys aware of 
what is happening.  And if it leads to a lost friendship with the guy I 
know at Beat Kangz, then oh-well.  I don't support theft of any kind.  
If they really wanted to use LADSPA in a legit manner.  Couldn't they 
create a separate installer package that includes all of the plugins' 
original code, makefiles, licenses and what not and have it just install 
a LADSPA plugin set for their program and others to use?  I guess in a 
way, separate the LADSPA stuff from their app and then just utilize the 
plugins like a normal application would.  Ardour packages LADSPA plugins 
with the Mac OSX with no problems.  But then again some of the Ardour 
developers are the LADSPA developers.  Who knows, maybe that is where 
they got the idea from.  I think one of the Beat Kangz guys is a 
professor(if you want to call it that) at SAE in Nashville (don't quote 
me on that). 

Perhaps that would be to much work for them.  One thing is for sure, 
they are using open source gpl software.  I can't remember what, but the 
stdout I got from terminal reported that the Beat Thang was linking to 
something I had installed via macports.  I think it was freetype or 
something like that.  Whatever it is, it is included with MacOSX itself, 
because it wasn't included with their installer.  I have my system check 
the macports LIB path before the OSX LIB path.  But, say you are using 
the Beat Thang on Windows, then they would probably have to include 
whatever open source package they are using since windows doesn't 
include anything like that with it.

I kind of want to install this thing on Windows and see what pops up.  
Its a crying shame that I don't use windows.  Snaps!

-Mike

alex stone wrote:
> Interesting stuff, espcially when you consider that but a week or 2
> ago, another chap from a university, who was unaware of the
> implications of the GPL, got nailed for not releasing his code as per
> a strict definition of the GPL, and took a lot of sustained abuse for
> it as a result. He's moved quickly to remedy this and asked for help,
> not wanting to let ignorance of the facts get in the way of doing the
> right thing.
>
> In contrast, a commercial company has simply swiped plugins,
> themselves under a GPL or derivative, and ignored the licensing
> requirements contained within, making no reference to the authors, and
> or assigning credit within the rules. And it certainly looks like they
> weren't planning to do so until it became public, and they had little
> choice. Far from being a 'sweetheart" the owner has got caught with
> his hand in the p2p equivalent of the software till, and has issued
> soothing noise to all and sundry, in an effort to keep the potentially
> unprofitable publicity to a minimum. And for the same reasons that our
> newest colleague got shoved down his throat, now it seems all is
> warmth and light, because "A.J" says so.
>
> Why didn't the "wonderful" Mr. AJ contact the authors first, and
> discuss what he planned to do with them before he simply took the
> software, for profit? Or at least notified them, and credited them
> before he started counting his money, even out of common decency?
>
> Call me cynical, and the plugin authors certainly have the last say,
> but there seems to be a rather large dose of hypocrisy going on
> here....
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 8:58 PM, Michael Fisher<mfisher31 at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> Everybody,
>>
>> Good.  I wasn't really trying to get Beat Kangz in trouble or anything
>> like that.  More than anything I was just disappointed to see that these
>> LADSPA plugins were being distributed with their software with not a
>> single mention of credit to the actual developers.  As a computer
>> programmer myself I understand the work involved in creating code.  The
>> way I found out about this was me running the program from terminal and
>> with the mac Console open to submit some bug reports to them.  That
>> reminds me, I still need to do that.
>>
>> I actually know one of the staff members at beat kangz, so I really am
>> not interested in causing trouble.  Credit due, where credit deserved is
>> all.  And I figured the LADSPA developers should be aware of what was
>> going on.  I suppose it's not really that big of a deal, because say I
>> had those plugins already installed on my system, then the Beat Kangz
>> software would only be searching for and loading them.  My problem was
>> that their installer included them, which would be distribution of GPL'd
>> software.
>>
>> That would be pretty awesome if they decided to open development.
>> Really, it would only make their products much stronger.  If their using
>> LADSPA plugins, I can only assume that development is taking place in a
>> Linux/*nix type environment as they are obviously familiar with Linux
>> Audio stuff.  Wouldn't surprise me if the actual hardware "box" is
>> running an embedded linux of some sort.
>>
>> On the lighter side...  The Virtual Beat Thang is in my opinion pretty
>> nice.  A few bugs here and there (the thing just came out), but really
>> not a bad peace of work.  Great drum sounds.  I have it working with
>> jack-osx which makes it even more powerful.  Might as well just make it
>> natively support jack in my opinion.
>>
>> -Mike
>>
>> Ronald Stewart wrote:
>>     
>>> GPL Violation Alert! - I talked with the President of Beat Kangz today
>>> his name is A.J. and he is a sweetheart and his head is on straight.
>>> He is currently going to work on an official statement and he wants to
>>> embrace and thank the developers and give the authors credit on their
>>> software and materials moving forward.  Additionally, Beat Kangz is
>>> interested in opening up development with authors to make Beat Kangz
>>> even better including funding open source development and projects.
>>>
>>> I think the hiccup is that they didn't know how to properly
>>> thank/engage in regards to GPL and such.  It's sounds like more of a
>>> noob thing and definitely not a jerk thing.  Let's give these guys the
>>> benefit of the doubt because their heads are on stragiht.
>>>
>>> Stay tuned.
>>>
>>> Much Love.
>>>
>>> Thank you
>>>
>>> Ronald Stewart
>>> Creative Director
>>> Trinity Audio Group Inc.
>>> 9854 National Blvd. #322
>>> Los Angeles CA 90034
>>> 310-733-9285
>>> ronaldjstewart at gmail.com <mailto:ronaldjstewart at gmail.com>
>>> www.indamixx.com <http://www.indamixx.com>
>>>       
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>>     
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