Links of Interest – WordPress and the GPL, Apple Music, Charles Dickens’ notes

Thesis, Automattic, and WordPress
Brian Krogsgard has written a thorough analysis of conflict between Automattic (the parent company of WordPress) and Chris Pearson of DIYthemes (makers of the Thesis Theme). This one has been going on since 2010, and it involves a dispute between the two companies over WordPress’s GPL license and the licensing of commercial WordPress themes.

If you use WordPress, I recommend adding this article to your favorite “read later” app as it details an argument around one of the things that has made WordPress great: it’s open source license. Read the article to understand some of the finer points about the software that you and I use everyday.

Apple Music is a nightmare and I’m done with it
Jim Dalrymple is fed up with Apple Music after it “ate” about 4,700 songs from his personal collection. I would be too if it happened to me, but rather than having an immense collection of audio already on my devices, I want a service which caters to my constantly evolving tastes. (BTW: Check the comments on Dalrymple’s post to see some work arounds if his situation applies to you.)

Charles Dickens’ notes solve the mystery of unidentified Victorian authors
When Jeremy Parrot purchased a 20 volume set of All the Year Round, he didn’t realize that he was getting Charles Dickens’ very own personal, annotated copy of the literary magazine edited by Dickens himself.

Last September Jeremy Parrott, an academic and book dealer, ordered a 20-volume bound collection of All the Year Roundfrom an online bookseller in Wrexham.

Dr Parrott didn’t open the box of books until December, when he arrived in London from his home in Hungary.

“When I saw the listing of 20 volumes in red cloth with gilt edges for sale I was excited. There was no mention of annotation but when I opened the box and saw the notes it was all my Christmases at once.

“To realise it was Dickens’ own set and his own handwriting revealing who wrote everything was incredible. That has never been public information because the pieces were deliberately published without attribution as Dickens’ name appeared on the top of every page.” [Read more...]