cvs commit: src/sys/amd64/amd64 pmap.c src/sys/i386/i386 pmap.c [NDA's]

[Sam Leffler]

Yar Tikhiy wrote:

> Was the change based on a document under NDA?  Then this case raises
> an interesting question: to what extent an open source developer
> is allowed to explain his code that was based on a document under
> NDA?  Of course, it should depend on the NDA, but I suspect that a
> typical NDA requires a lawyer to interpret it unambiguously (I've
> never signed one by myself), and an overcautious lawyer would say
> that the open source code itself violates the NDA because anybody
> can RTFS. :-)

NDA's are negotiable.  I've signed plenty and am very careful to
structure them so that when the work product is to be released to the
open source community there is no confusion about whether information
may or may not be disclosed.  Companies that work with the open source
community but require NDA's typically use them to control premature
release of information and restrict related information (e.g. product
plans).  In my experience companies often mark documents w/ an NDA
because they don't want to have to deal with the liability of a doc
having mistakes and because they don't want to deal with random folks
badgering them for support when they can't understand what's written.

The key to working with companies is always to establish a level of
trust and a relationship with people that work there.  Everything else
falls out as a result.

	Sam