Perl is Alive!

[Nigel Hamilton]

>
>
> >
> > >p.s. maybe we could have an auction item - let's buy back perl.com?
> >
> > This sounds like a good idea.
> >
>
>
> If Tom has a deal with ORA (sorry O'R) then it's his business, if I
> was him, and I'm not, I'd want to see the value of moving the domain
> name before even entering into the discussion, and currently perl.com
> offers good content. And the association with a large company like O'R
> is only good for Perl's reputation.
>

Well Tom knows the value of the domain name - he's been getting good rent
for it for 8 years. But if I was him I would want to rid my hands of it. I
think TPF could buy it for a few peppercorns - and a clause that says they
won't sue.


>
> Also perl.com is hosted at O'R's expense, with their design and
> development and it looks pretty good. And I personally trust them
> fully with the job.
>

I don't mind what O'R is doing with perl.com.

I personally think Tom should assign the domain name to the TPF and the TPF
should license it back to O'R on a yearly basis. The TPF can then put the
license fee to good use for the benefit of the community - but what TPF does
with "perl.com" is for them to decide - they are the rightful owners.


>
> There is a lot of work to be done to help Perl, not least the core
> development that I believe is seeing less resource, and arguing about
> the ownership of a domain name and 2nd guessing what Tom is doing is a
> waste of our time.
>

Standing up for what's right is never a waste of time. I've spoken to Tom
directly about this. I know what I'm talking about.

Perl is supposed to be about "open" source and "openness" but shine some
light on the cracks and you soon get the 'cabal treatment'. It's really sad
to see. We're "open" as long as you don't look too hard.


> If you really want to help perl.com, perl.org or perlbuzz; write some
> articles that appeal to the wider world outside the goldfish bowl of
> the Perl community.
>

Haha. That old jedi mind-trick, 'there's nothing to see here - go and write
an article'.

Come on! Let's do "proper" open source - where people show some fairness and
respect for other's IP. It will be good for Perl(R) and good for the
community.

What does the Perl community *really* stand for?

Is it about "openness" and respecting each other's intellectual endeavours?
Or is it a front for a self-interested cabal?

Perl has got a BIG future - Perl6, Parrot, Artistic 2.0 etc are all
brilliant. But sometimes we forget that out of all Perl's intellectual
properties the Perl(R) trade mark is the most valuable and enduring.

We should all be standing up to protect it where we can[1]. So are we moving
forward? or has the Ruby guy got a point?

> whois perl.com

PERL.COM.IS.AN.OLD.WASHED.OUT.LANGUAGE.USE.RUBY-CODE.COM.PERL.COM

I hope not.

Greg, instead of wasting time replying to me - why don't you do the right
thing and email Alison?

Let's get this sorted out and put Perl(R) on the best footing for the
future.

Nige


[1] Don't just take my word for it -
http://www.perlfoundation.org/perl_trademark

But our responsibility is also partly the responsibility of the whole Perl
community. By helping us protect the Perl trademark, you help us protect the
openness and integrity of the Perl language