namespace protection compatible with the OSD?

[Dave Gilbert]

Hi,
  I can see the need for namespace protection; but it is clear that to
remain in the spirit of an open-source system it would have to be done
very carefully.  I mean:

Its reasonable (from my point of view):
  1) To say that any extension to the API must use a particular form of
name - e.g. myapi_extendersname_..... (where extenders name could be an
organisation for grouping extensions). And to define a group of names
which only the original authors may extend.

  2) To say that any implementation of the API should implement existing
named entry points in a manner compatible with the API definition.

It is unreasonable:
  1) To say that no one is able to write a function with a particular name
  2) That no one else is able to reimplement a function with a given name.

Dave

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