actually, fsf.org has a retort to that statement, and i offer the web page to you all because i absolutely suck when trying to write any kind of political statement (it's called a bad memory. you read something once and from then on the details don't matter, it's simply "bad"...) tha basic gist of the page states that UCITA makes the software publisher liable for any problems with it, avoidable with a "shrink-wrapped" warranty (which, incidentally, doesn't have to be made available to the consumer until after the purchase of the liscense to use the product. much like windows, you bought it, but you don't own it, nor can you change it, nor can you complain about it...). would "free" software vendors be liable because they use the GNU/GPL? who knows. further, would the GNU/GPL still be viable under UCITA? what would that mean for the free software users in oregon? anyway, my $.02 > -----Original Message----- > From: larry a price [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 12:47 PM > To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' > Subject: [EUG-LUG:592] Re: [PLUG] UCITA > > it's somewhat odd, but if were to become widespread it might actually be > good for (free|open source) software. > > let me explain: > > 1.free software offers an unconditional guarantee that the user of the > software has the right to use it, modify it etc. ; this would be quite > appealing if the licensing of commercial software were to become > excessively restrictive. > > 2.The existence of remotely accessible backdoors allowed by the so-called > "self-help" provisions would be a very strong disincentive to business, > even if it were possible to guarantee that it would only be used by > 'legitimate owners of the software'. > (can you imagine the proportions of the disaster if a bunch of script > kiddies were running around turning off SAP/R3 modules?) > > 3.The combined effects of UCITA would make it much more attractive to > businesses to have their software systems "tailor-made", and the economics > > of the situation would point towards industry coalitions supporting open > source solutions for industry-wide problems being the most efficient way > to create and maintain needed software. > (not that this is without problems, business practices software would be a > good place to enable cartel-style collusion in an undetectable fashion, > another good reason for it to be open source) > > cheers, > larry > > > Larry Price | "We have seen the truth. > [EMAIL PROTECTED] | And the truth makes no sense." -chesterton > _______________________________________________________________
